MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS

Steve Gurney

Nine-Time Coast to Coast Champion, Adventure Racer & Resilience Authority

Steve Gurney MNZM is the most successful Coast to Coast competitor in history — a nine-time winner, near-death survivor and one of New Zealand's most distinctive voices on resilience, goal-setting and the pursuit of "obstacles as opportunity". On stage, he's a born storyteller with the science to back it up.

Who is Steve Gurney?

Born in Hamilton in 1963 and a mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Canterbury (1986), Steve combined his engineering brain with elite multisport for two decades. After losing his home in the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, he moved to Queenstown, where he continues to speak, coach and consult on race design.

Career Highlights

  • Nine-time winner of the Speights Coast to Coast (1990, 1991, 1997–2003)

  • Multiple international wins across Raid Gauloises, Eco-Challenge and Extreme Games

  • Survived a near-fatal leptospirosis infection in Borneo's Mulu caves in 1994

  • World-first crossing of the Sahara Desert by wind power (2,160 km kite buggy, 2009)

  • Two-time Canterbury Sportsperson of the Year (1991, 1998)

  • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (2004) for services to endurance sport

  • Author of three books: Lucky Legs, Eating Dirt and The Beginner's Guide to Adventure Sport

  • Inventor of multisport gear, including the famous "Pod" bike

Key Speaking Themes

  • Resilience and the "Obstacles = Opportunity" mindset

  • Goal-setting and the science of getting better results

  • High-performing teams and adventure-race leadership

  • Innovation, lateral thinking and the engineer's edge

  • Mental health, depression and the search for peace beyond the finish line

What Your Audience Will Gain

Steve is a brilliant storyteller and a serious thinker — equal parts wild adventure and grounded science. Audiences leave with vivid memories of the bat dung, the kite-buggy, the seven straight Coast to Coast wins — and a practical toolkit for goal-setting, resilience and team performance they can use the next day.

Ideal For

  • Leadership and high-performance conferences

  • Sales conferences and after-dinner keynotes

  • Health and safety and risk-management forums

  • Sport, adventure and event-industry audiences

  • Resilience, mental health and men's wellbeing events

Frequently Asked Questions about Steve Gurney

What does Steve Gurney speak about? Resilience, goal-setting, high-performance teams, innovation and the lessons of two decades at the top of multisport.

What is Steve Gurney best known for? Winning the Coast to Coast a record nine times — including seven in a row from 1997 to 2003.

How did Steve Gurney nearly die? He contracted leptospirosis through a gash on his leg during the 1994 Raid Gauloises in Borneo's Mulu caves and suffered circulatory, respiratory and renal failure.

What honour has Steve Gurney received? He was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the 2004 New Year Honours for services to endurance sport.

Has Steve Gurney written books? Yes — three of them: Lucky Legs, Eating Dirt and The Beginner's Guide to Adventure Sport.

Is Steve Gurney available for keynotes and team sessions in NZ? Yes. Steve is a full-time speaker and member of the Professional Speakers Association of NZ.