Louis-Philippe_Loncke

Louis-Philippe Loncke

Louis-Philippe Loncke

Belgian explorer, adventurer and motivational speaker


Louis-Philippe Loncke is a Belgian explorer, adventurer and motivational speaker. In 2008, he achieved the world first crossing on foot of the length of the Simpson desert,[1] which was a North to South traverse passing through its geographical center. In 2018, he traversed Tasmania during the austral winter without resupplies and was nicknamed the Mad Belgian by some Australians.[2][3]

Quick Facts Born, Education ...

Early life and education

Loncke was born in Mouscron, Belgium to a family of furniture makers. He studied engineering in Brussels at ECAM, a master in Industrial management in KU Leuven and treasury management at the University of Antwerp Management School.

Career

Management consultant[4]

Loncke started his career as logistics manager. Since 1999, he has built experience in over 10 corporate companies in various positions. He has been working as management consultant since 2007 mainly in IT. The skills he acquired in the corporate world allowed him to efficiently plan his expeditions. He is also self-taught in photography, SEO, marketing and communications. From 2006 to 2013, he was volunteering at NGO Art in All of Us and was elected member of the board of directors in 2010.

Adventurer and explorer

Loncke started traveling alone in 2000. In 2002, he was sent to Singapore for work and learned scuba diving. To fulfill this passion he traveled for a year in Oceania between 2004 and 2005. He started hiking and heard about adventurers and explorers; and became interested after seeing the world acclaimed film Alone across Australia. Back in Belgium, he met author and adventurer Sylvain Tesson who encouraged him to continue. Loncke left again in 2006 to Australia to start his first three expeditions.[5]

His first solo unresupplied traverse of the Tasmanian Wilderness brought him the first sponsors and recognition among Australian explorers. After a year in Australia, he went back to Belgium and started planning for a series of several world first expeditions, the first being to attempt crossing the Simpson desert at its longest distance.

He has organised charity expeditions involving media buzz including the highest chocolate tasting, on Everest. In July 2010, he trekked across Iceland[6] between its extreme latitude from North to South. He spoofed an Icelandic promotional video[7] that got viral in Iceland. He has announced a return to Iceland to attempt doing the journey during the winter.[8] Both his Simpson and Iceland expeditions involved a science program of the MSH of Paris named Stress and decision taking in extreme environment.

Expeditions

World firsts

Charity and cultural expeditions

  • 2009 - Chocolate Sherpa expedition,[49] walking 400 km from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp and back to Lukla distributing chocolate.

Scientific and other expeditions

Challenges

  • 2020 - The Everest Bueren Challenge, climbing up and down the stairs of the Montagne de Bueren 135 times with a 15 kg backpack.[57][58]
  • 2021 - Confined in my Tent, living 1 week on a 5m² platform hanging 10m above the ground.[59][60][61]
  • 2022 - Unsupported speed record on the GR 70 Stevenson hiking trail.[62][63]

Films

From 2021, he started to produce films about his expeditions and challenges. The films are released online or screened at festivals.

  • 2021 - The Mad Belgian: Keep walking[64]
  • 2022 - The Mad Belgian: Confined in My Tent[65]

Awards and recognition

Louis-Philippe Loncke holding the olympic torch
  • In 2009, he was awarded young talent of the year[66] by the Baillis of Mouscron.
  • Outer Edge magazine has selected in its February–March 2011 issue Loncke's Simpson desert crossing being in the top 10 Australian expeditions to the edge of reason.[67]
  • Accepted as member of the Explorers Club in 2010[68] and elected to Fellow in 2014.
  • Becoming Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society in 2011
  • In September 2011, the Jane Goodall Institute Belgium nominates him as goodwill ambassador for the Roots & Shoots program.[69]
  • Selected by the LOCOG to carry the Olympic Flame through Choppington on 15 June 2012.[70]
  • Finalist Photoshoot Awards contest OCEAN 2013, category Pollution.[71]
  • At the European parliament in Brussels, on 7 May 2014, Jane Goodall made him Jane Goodall Institute Knight for Youth, Animals and Plants in the Order of the Iguana.
  • A the ISPO fair in Munich, he is awarded European Adventurer of the Year 2016.[72][73][74]
  • He is enthroned Honorary Bailli of Mouscron in October 2017[75]
  • Ranked #3 of the Top 10 expeditions of 2018 according to ExplorersWeb[76]

References

  1. "'Mad Belgian' attempts world-first unaided winter traverse of Tasmania". ABC News. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  2. Alice Springs News, "Hill after Hill", 21 September 2006
  3. Fraser Island expedition mentioned, "Belgian explorer takes on Australia’s Dead Heart", 31 August 2016
  4. Unsupported Fraser Island expedition mentioned, "Walking the Globe with Louis-Philippe Loncke", 14 September 2017
  5. 49 days Tasmanian walk mentioned, "Belgian explorer takes on Australia’s Dead Heart", 31 August 2016
  6. Unsupported Tasmanian walking expedition mentioned, "Walking the Globe with Louis-Philippe Loncke", 14 September 2017
  7. The Monitor, p7, "36 days alone in the desert", 28 August 2008
  8. Sudpresse Archive, "800km en 35 jours" Archived 20 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 17 November July 2008
  9. Morgunblaðið, "Walked across the country in 19 days", 31 July 2010
  10. Sudpresse Archive, "Le tour de Belgique en kayak" Archived 13 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, 9 July 2011
  11. L'avenir, "Un tour de Belgique à la rame", 11 July 2011
  12. Save The Frogs, "Frog conservation in Bolivia" Archived 24 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  13. 7sur7.be "Expédition sur le lac Titicaca", 16 August 2013
  14. Adventure: Louis-Philippe Loncke, TED.com, 26 March 2014
  15. "'Mad Belgian' attempts world-first unaided winter traverse of Tasmania". ABC News. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  16. FastestKnownTime, "FKT - Route: Kungsleden (Sweden)", Validated on 3 September 2021
  17. "Défi réussi pour Louis-Philippe Loncke: pour simuler l'ascension de l'Everest, il a gravi 135 fois la Montagne de Bueren à Liège" [A successful challenge for Louis-Philippe Loncke: to simulate the ascent of Everest, he climbed the Bueren Mountain 135 times in Liège]. La Dernière Heure (in French). 21 July 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  18. Crew, Sarah (20 July 2020). "Climbing Mount Everest… in Liège!". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  19. L'avenir, "L'ordre des Baillis s'élargit", 6 October 2009
  20. "London 2012". Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  21. L'avenir, "43e convent des Baillis", 3 October 2017
  22. "Top 10 Expeditions of 2018: #3: First Winter Crossing of Tasmania". Explorersweb. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2019.

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