About

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Ian started started in sports governance at the University of Sydney in 1984. He is the founder and President or World Obstacle, the international federation representing Ninja, Obstacle Racing and related sports.

From 1996 to 2006 he accumulated 10 world championship wins (plus 6 podium finishes and 3 wins at the Eco-Challenge), 25 world championship podium finishes and Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the ESPN X-Games. Ian is a six time Guinness world record holder for endurance kayaking (262 miles in 24 hours), Altitude OCR, OCR and Fitness, After retiring as a professional athlete, Ian won age group world championship titles in Pentathlon biathle, triathle and Ninja, and obstacle racing from 2016 to 2024.

Ian was a founding member of Team Nike (formerly Eco-Internet), that won over 100 championship races, and featured on the Eco-Challenge, Primal Quest, Outdoor Quest, Raid Gauloises and other international television shows competitions from 1995 through 2007. 

During his ten years in the implantable medical device industry, Ian started Reflex Medical Products, Inc. and continued as COO for five year. 

From 1996 through 2003 Ian was a principal and executive at Presidio Adventure Training Academy in San Francisco and Corporate Teams in Golden, Colorado. He has been a guest lecturer and presenter  in business and international sport at the University of Colorado, Boulder, UC Denver, Denver University, Arizona State University, University of San Francisco, and the International Academy of Sport Science & Technology founded by the IOC and other international sport organizations, since 1998.

Ian worked at Newton Running Company from 2007 to 2014 as Director of Research & Product development, and later Director of Medical & Education. He provides legal forensic work for Robson Forensic in Adventure, Obstacle, and Olympic sports.

Ian's event production career started in 1988 at the Australian University Canoe Championships, then internationally in 1999, contracting to International Management Group (IMG) as a course and technical director for complex multi-sport and adventure races. Since then he has produced and directed dozens of  sporting events and championships worldwide.
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As a  television professional, Ian has produced and consulted on shows that included the Raft, Nature Island Challenge, American Tarzan, Million $ Mile, Primal Quest, Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, World Adventure Rafting Championships, Ninja World Championships, Obstacle World Championships, 100m, 400m and 5K OCR medal events at the South East Asia Games, Ironman China, Pentathlon World Cups, and World Championship events, 8-hour Triathlon and 24-hour Triathlon World Championships, and the 4-Deserts Series.

Ian is a charter yacht and fleet captain, certified to manage multi-hull and keel boat flotillas in coastal and blue waters worldwide.