James Manclark

A former Scottish farmer turned wealthy landowner with interests in the oil and coal industries, the story of James Manclark extends beyond his Olympic exploits. Manclark discovered the luge, bobsleighing, and rodelling (better known as tobogganing) while on holiday in Switzerland in 1964 and went on to compete in the luge at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics. During practice for the 1971 World Bobsleigh Championships, Manclark broke a cheek bone in an accident in the 2-man bob team. His place as driver was taken by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, a first cousin of the late queen Elizabeth II.

While Manclark was enjoying a drink with fellow bobsleigher Jim Edwards after a session on the Cresta Run in 1982 the two men had a light bulb moment and invented a new sport. Edwards, the owner of elephants in Nepal, and Manclark, a keen polo player, came up with the idea of playing polo on an elephant and so was born the sport of elephant polo. They registered the sport with the Nepal Olympic Committee and formed the World Elephant Polo Association, which organised a world championship for the next 35 years.

In 1997 Manclark financed a £1 million attempt to be the first person to fly around the world in a hot-air balloon. The attempt ended after 19 days in 1999 when the Cable and Wireless sponsored balloon was forced to ditch in Japan 19 days after setting off from Spain. Nevertheless, Manclark’s craft did set a new world balloon endurance record.