Tony Christiansen
Encyclopedia
Anthony Steven Christiansen (born 23 October 1958) is paralympian
and a motivational and inspirational speaker from New Zealand
, having lost his legs as a result of a train accident in his childhood. He authored the best-sellers Race You To The Top, Attitude Plus! and Don't Just Sit There.
In his presentations, he exudes a strong presence and speaks with clarity and purpose, and eliminates redundant words. Christiansen starts by climbing a 1.5-metre high scaffolding, a show that leaves his audience gobsmacked.
The basis of Christiansen's presentation is self belief; the theme is simply "Your attitude determines your altitude in life". He shares his life story and the secrets to his success and encourages his audience to set their own challenges, rather than accept the limitations imposed by their own attitudes and other people's perception.
, New Zealand
. His father Bernard worked in a timber yard and his mother Doreen was a homemaker who immigrated to New Zealand
from England
after the World War II
. He is the youngest of 3 siblings which include brother Frank and sister Susan.
As a result of this accident, both his legs could not be saved and were amputated. 48 hours after the accident, Christiansen was found sitting up in a wheelchair and in good spirits.
's most notable motivational speaker
and one of the world's most interesting.
Even before his accident, Christiansen hated water but Franklin and Guthrie were very persistent in teaching the now disabled young boy how to swim. Within 5 months of his first lesson, less than a year after his accident, Christiansen at 10 years of age, swam a mile non-stop.
The following year, Christiansen joined the Tauranga
Swimming Club and continued to improve as a swimmer while he became physically stronger. He set a goal to compete in the Tauranga
mayor’s annual sponsored swimming race held by the Lions Club.
On 6 May 1971, Christiansen came just behind the mayor Bob Owen in that 2 miles (3.2 km) race and in February 1974, he beat the mayor in the Annual Harbour “Swimathon”.
and joined the Omanu Pacific Surf Lifesaving Club.
In 1978, Christiansen was granted a Special Achievement Award from World Life Saving which today is known as the International Life Saving Federation
. In the same year, he gained his instructor’s certificate.
Christiansen remained a member of the Omanu Pacific Surf Lifesaving Club and worked as a surf lifeguard until the age of 23. He was also the club's canoe team captain. Throughout his career as a surf lifesaver, Christiansen made 33 rescues. He was believed to be the only paraplegic lifeguard in the Southern Hemisphere.
internationally.
Christiansen trained for the National Disabled Games in Wellington and competed in wheelchair racing, shot put
, discus
, javelin
and swimming
. In 1972, he was nominated for a New Zealand Herald Junior Sports Award which he did not win but was recognized by the judges who included Yvette Corlett (1952 Olympic long jump champion), Murray Halberg
and Don Oliver
. In 1976, he was nominated again and this time he won the award for paraplegic sports.
During his career in athletics, Christiansen held several local records and was the area pentathlon champion in 1978.
Christiansen’s other international sports achievements include:
Throughout his athletics career, Christiansen represented New Zealand 5 times at the World Games
, FESPIC Games
and Paralympic Games
and won 35 medals including 12 golds, 17 silver and 6 bronze medals.
While at school, Christiansen worked part-time doing signwriting jobs on stockcars and the same for Woolworths
. These credentials later led to a job as a ticket writer in New World (supermarket)
. At the same time, he also worked for the Tauranga Museum where he learned many new skills.
Christiansen tried applying for jobs with signwriting companies but his numerous attempts failed. He eventually hassled Lance Styles, the owner of Commercial Signs, enough to land a job. Within 3 months, he had proven himself and impressed Styles who made him foreman.
Christiansen later left Commercial Signs. In 1985, he returned and took a stake in the company. In 1995, he bought over the rest of the shareholding and became the sole owner of the company. For the next 2 years, he turned it into one of the largest commercial signwriting business in New Zealand and sold it in 1997 to begin his career as a professional speaker.
In order to drive, Christiansen integrates a hand control which are motorcycle-style twist throttle attached to a handle, in all his cars. He names his midget race car “Toenails” and over the years have won several races locally at the Baypark Speedway and domestically. He also competed in the Pre-65 races in a Ford Zephyr
Mark III and made his sprint car debut at Western Springs
in November 1996.
Christiansen also participated in off-road races. His race cars are usually a signature yellow colour.
in 1986 through one of his children who was taking Tae Kwon Do lessons and he decided to aim for a black belt
. He trained under Allan France and later under Master Kesi O’Neill after France moved to Australia
.
He obtained his Second Degree Black Belt
in 1990 and decided to move on to other things.
Christiansen flies a Cessna 172 with a portable hand control to move rudders and apply the brakes.
On 24 March 1998, Christiansen created aviation history when he became the first disabled New Zealander to fly solo. According to a Civil Aviation Authority spokeswoman, Christiansen was the first person who had learned to fly from scratch with a disability.
with 2 other Koreans – Soo Young, a blind young woman and Hong Bin, an experienced mountaineer who lost all his fingers to frostbite on a climbing expedition in Canada
.
After about 2 weeks of preparations and media interviews in Korea
, the group departed for Dar es Salaam
, Nairobi
and travelled onwards to Arusha
in northern Tanzania
. They spent 3 days filming in a village with the Maasai people.
Christiansen climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in his mountain-climbing wheelchair as much as he could and the rest of the journey on his backside with only a pair of hi-tech, New Zealand-designed vinyl pants and a pair of gloves protecting him from the sharp volcanic rocks.
The group reached the summit of the mountain on 21 December 2002. Christiansen reached Gilman’s Point, the second highest peak at 5,685 metres. He did not reach Uhuru, the highest peak at 5,895 metres as he admitted in his book that he could not physically go on through the incredibly steep and rough terrain at the summit. It was also snowing and raining and it was getting dark, all making it too dangerous to carry on.
It took Christiansen 10 hours to reach Gilman’s Point from Kibo Hut which is the last station on the Marangu Route, and only 2 hours to descent.
Christiansen’s Kilimanjaro experience is told in detail in his second book “Attitude Plus!”. He considers his climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro one of his proudest moment.
” 27 times on Air New Zealand flights, Christiansen was inspired to become “The World’s Fastest Amputee”. He set a goal to attempt to reach 200 mph (321 km/h) on the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah
, USA.
He set about modifying his C/Altered drag racer designed for a quarter mile strip into a salt flats racer that will run 8 miles (13 km) on the vast salt flats.
Christiansen's efforts were filmed by TV NZ for a documentary programme which captured the emotional highs and lows of his Speedweek venture. He did not achieve this targeted speed of 200 mi/h, instead topped at 182 mph (293 km/h).
for the Kiwi Party in the 2008 General Election. He did not win the seat, garnering only 2,258 votes, losing to incumbent Tony Ryall
.
In 2010, Christiansen put his name forward for a seat in the Tauranga City Council local body elections. He won and was the highest polling at-large candidate with 10,268 votes. The people of Tauranga has very high hopes for Christiansen to bring his aspirational attitude and positivity to the Council.
Sumsion) on 27 October 1980, 4 days after his 21st birthday. She is 9 years older and a divorcee with a daughter Nicola from her first marriage. Nicola was 6 years old when they got married.
Christiansen and Elaine have a daughter Danielle (born 1 March 1979) and a son Lucas (born 14 August 1982). They also have 4 grandchildren Houston, Zavier, Armani and Tyler.
After almost 30 years marriage, Christiansen and Elaine separated in 2009.
Paralympian
A Paralympian is an athlete who has participated in the Paralympic Games.A Paralympic athlete has a physical disability. The disability can be amputation, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment or cerebral palsy. An exception is the sighted guides for athletes with a visual impairment...
and a motivational and inspirational speaker from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, having lost his legs as a result of a train accident in his childhood. He authored the best-sellers Race You To The Top, Attitude Plus! and Don't Just Sit There.
In his presentations, he exudes a strong presence and speaks with clarity and purpose, and eliminates redundant words. Christiansen starts by climbing a 1.5-metre high scaffolding, a show that leaves his audience gobsmacked.
The basis of Christiansen's presentation is self belief; the theme is simply "Your attitude determines your altitude in life". He shares his life story and the secrets to his success and encourages his audience to set their own challenges, rather than accept the limitations imposed by their own attitudes and other people's perception.
Early life
Christiansen was born in TaurangaTauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. His father Bernard worked in a timber yard and his mother Doreen was a homemaker who immigrated to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
after the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He is the youngest of 3 siblings which include brother Frank and sister Susan.
Hit by a train
On the morning of 3 June 1967 which was Queen's Birthday weekend, Christiansen had followed friend Gary Winters and his father Mick to the railway yard near Te Maunga to bag coal for sale to raise money for charity. As the two children were crossing the tracks, the train shunted backwards dragging Christiansen under and the dual set of wheels ran over his legs almost severing them.As a result of this accident, both his legs could not be saved and were amputated. 48 hours after the accident, Christiansen was found sitting up in a wheelchair and in good spirits.
Achievements
Christiansen very quickly got on with life after his wounds healed. His extraordinary achievements following the accident made him New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's most notable motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
and one of the world's most interesting.
Confidence in the water
After his accident, many people including strangers, visited Christiansen and wanted to help. Among them, 2 people made a significant difference to Christiansen’s life. They were swimming coaches Dave Franklin and Allan Guthrie.Even before his accident, Christiansen hated water but Franklin and Guthrie were very persistent in teaching the now disabled young boy how to swim. Within 5 months of his first lesson, less than a year after his accident, Christiansen at 10 years of age, swam a mile non-stop.
The following year, Christiansen joined the Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
Swimming Club and continued to improve as a swimmer while he became physically stronger. He set a goal to compete in the Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
mayor’s annual sponsored swimming race held by the Lions Club.
On 6 May 1971, Christiansen came just behind the mayor Bob Owen in that 2 miles (3.2 km) race and in February 1974, he beat the mayor in the Annual Harbour “Swimathon”.
Surf Lifesaving
During his years in school, Christiansen was alienated from most of the physical activities. In his fifth form, week-long school camps were held, none of which he could participate in. As a result, his old swimming coach Dave Franklin invited him to join the surf lifesaving camp at the Omanu surf club. By the end of that week, Christiansen earned his surf lifesaving Bronze Medallion (New Zealand and Australia)Bronze Medallion (New Zealand and Australia)
In New Zealand and Australia one must gain a Bronze Medallion in order to become a qualified Surf Lifesaver.-Testing & Exams:The qualifying test to become a Surf Lifesaver includes both theoretical and practical components.-Theoretical:This includes...
and joined the Omanu Pacific Surf Lifesaving Club.
In 1978, Christiansen was granted a Special Achievement Award from World Life Saving which today is known as the International Life Saving Federation
International Life Saving Federation
The International Life Saving Federation is an organisation for drowning prevention, water safety, lifesaving and lifesaving sport.- Definition :...
. In the same year, he gained his instructor’s certificate.
Christiansen remained a member of the Omanu Pacific Surf Lifesaving Club and worked as a surf lifeguard until the age of 23. He was also the club's canoe team captain. Throughout his career as a surf lifesaver, Christiansen made 33 rescues. He was believed to be the only paraplegic lifeguard in the Southern Hemisphere.
Athletics Career & Representing New Zealand
Around the same time Christiansen got into surf lifesaving, he also became involved in the disabled sports movement. It wasn’t long before he set a goal to represent New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
internationally.
Christiansen trained for the National Disabled Games in Wellington and competed in wheelchair racing, shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
, javelin
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
. In 1972, he was nominated for a New Zealand Herald Junior Sports Award which he did not win but was recognized by the judges who included Yvette Corlett (1952 Olympic long jump champion), Murray Halberg
Murray Halberg
Sir Murray Gordon Halberg, ONZ, MBE is a former New Zealand middle distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics. He also won gold medals in the 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games...
and Don Oliver
Don Oliver
Donald "Don" Carthew Oliver, OBE was a former weightlifter for New Zealand.He won the gold medal at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in the men's 110 kg division...
. In 1976, he was nominated again and this time he won the award for paraplegic sports.
During his career in athletics, Christiansen held several local records and was the area pentathlon champion in 1978.
Christiansen’s other international sports achievements include:
- FESPIC GamesFESPIC GamesThe FESPIC Games or the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, was the biggest multi-sports games in the Asia and South Pacific region....
, OitaOita-Companies:*Oita Asahi Broadcasting, a Japanese broadcast network in Oita Prefecture, Japan*Oita Broadcasting System, a television company based in Ōita Prefecture, Japan-Education:*Oita Junior College, a private junior college in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan...
JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
1975 - Gold in javelinJavelin throwThe javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
and 50 metres freestyle swimmingFreestyle swimmingFreestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
; Silver in 100 metres wheelchair dash. - FESPIC GamesFESPIC GamesThe FESPIC Games or the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, was the biggest multi-sports games in the Asia and South Pacific region....
, SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
1977 – Gold in shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, discusDiscusDiscus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
, javelinJavelin throwThe javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
, pentathlonPentathlonA pentathlon is a contest featuring five different events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente and -athlon . The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of the Ancient Olympic Games...
and 100 metres swim; silver in 50 metres freestyle swimmingFreestyle swimmingFreestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
; bronze in snookerSnookerSnooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
. - FESPIC GamesFESPIC GamesThe FESPIC Games or the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, was the biggest multi-sports games in the Asia and South Pacific region....
, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
1982 – Gold in discusDiscusDiscus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
, silver in javelinJavelin throwThe javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
and basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, bronze in shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
.
Throughout his athletics career, Christiansen represented New Zealand 5 times at the World Games
World Games
The World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
, FESPIC Games
FESPIC Games
The FESPIC Games or the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, was the biggest multi-sports games in the Asia and South Pacific region....
and Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
and won 35 medals including 12 golds, 17 silver and 6 bronze medals.
The Successful Business
In the book about his life, Race You To The Top, Christiansen described his performance in school as “having artistic talent but never very academic”.While at school, Christiansen worked part-time doing signwriting jobs on stockcars and the same for Woolworths
Woolworths Limited
Woolworths Limited is a major Australian company with extensive retail interest throughout Australia and New Zealand. It is the:* largest retail company in Australia and New Zealand by market capitalisation and sales...
. These credentials later led to a job as a ticket writer in New World (supermarket)
New World (supermarket)
New World is a New Zealand full-service supermarket chain owned by the Foodstuffs cooperative.Founded in 1963, New World was the first American-style full-service supermarket brand of Foodstuffs, and the second in New Zealand...
. At the same time, he also worked for the Tauranga Museum where he learned many new skills.
Christiansen tried applying for jobs with signwriting companies but his numerous attempts failed. He eventually hassled Lance Styles, the owner of Commercial Signs, enough to land a job. Within 3 months, he had proven himself and impressed Styles who made him foreman.
Christiansen later left Commercial Signs. In 1985, he returned and took a stake in the company. In 1995, he bought over the rest of the shareholding and became the sole owner of the company. For the next 2 years, he turned it into one of the largest commercial signwriting business in New Zealand and sold it in 1997 to begin his career as a professional speaker.
Motor Sports
From a young age, Christiansen fell in love with cars and motor sports, picking up go-karting at the age of 12. He gave up the sport when he took up surf lifesaving but went back into motor sports at 26 and therein started competing on the race track.In order to drive, Christiansen integrates a hand control which are motorcycle-style twist throttle attached to a handle, in all his cars. He names his midget race car “Toenails” and over the years have won several races locally at the Baypark Speedway and domestically. He also competed in the Pre-65 races in a Ford Zephyr
Ford Zephyr
The Ford Zephyr was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.The Zephyr...
Mark III and made his sprint car debut at Western Springs
Western Springs
Western Springs is a residential suburb and park in the west of the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres to the west of the city centre, situated to the north of State Highway 16....
in November 1996.
Christiansen also participated in off-road races. His race cars are usually a signature yellow colour.
Martial Arts
Christiansen was introduced to martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
in 1986 through one of his children who was taking Tae Kwon Do lessons and he decided to aim for a black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
. He trained under Allan France and later under Master Kesi O’Neill after France moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
He obtained his Second Degree Black Belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in 1990 and decided to move on to other things.
Pilot & Aviation History
Christiansen’s introduction to aviation started with radio-controlled planes which remains a passionate hobby. He had met and was taught to fly by Phil Hooker, the Bay of Plenty Flight Centre’s chief flying instructor whom Christiansen taught to fly radio-controlled planes.Christiansen flies a Cessna 172 with a portable hand control to move rudders and apply the brakes.
On 24 March 1998, Christiansen created aviation history when he became the first disabled New Zealander to fly solo. According to a Civil Aviation Authority spokeswoman, Christiansen was the first person who had learned to fly from scratch with a disability.
Kilimanjaro
In 2002, Christiansen was invited by Korean Broadcasting System to scale Mount KilimanjaroMount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
with 2 other Koreans – Soo Young, a blind young woman and Hong Bin, an experienced mountaineer who lost all his fingers to frostbite on a climbing expedition in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
After about 2 weeks of preparations and media interviews in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, the group departed for Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
and travelled onwards to Arusha
Arusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
in northern Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. They spent 3 days filming in a village with the Maasai people.
Christiansen climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in his mountain-climbing wheelchair as much as he could and the rest of the journey on his backside with only a pair of hi-tech, New Zealand-designed vinyl pants and a pair of gloves protecting him from the sharp volcanic rocks.
The group reached the summit of the mountain on 21 December 2002. Christiansen reached Gilman’s Point, the second highest peak at 5,685 metres. He did not reach Uhuru, the highest peak at 5,895 metres as he admitted in his book that he could not physically go on through the incredibly steep and rough terrain at the summit. It was also snowing and raining and it was getting dark, all making it too dangerous to carry on.
It took Christiansen 10 hours to reach Gilman’s Point from Kibo Hut which is the last station on the Marangu Route, and only 2 hours to descent.
Christiansen’s Kilimanjaro experience is told in detail in his second book “Attitude Plus!”. He considers his climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro one of his proudest moment.
World’s Fastest Amputee
In 2008, having watched the movie “The World's Fastest IndianThe World's Fastest Indian
The World's Fastest Indian is a 2005 New Zealand biographical film based on the Invercargill, New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro and his highly modified Indian Scout motorcycle...
” 27 times on Air New Zealand flights, Christiansen was inspired to become “The World’s Fastest Amputee”. He set a goal to attempt to reach 200 mph (321 km/h) on the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, USA.
He set about modifying his C/Altered drag racer designed for a quarter mile strip into a salt flats racer that will run 8 miles (13 km) on the vast salt flats.
Christiansen's efforts were filmed by TV NZ for a documentary programme which captured the emotional highs and lows of his Speedweek venture. He did not achieve this targeted speed of 200 mi/h, instead topped at 182 mph (293 km/h).
Politics
Christiansen was a candidate for the Bay of Plenty (New Zealand electorate)Bay of Plenty (New Zealand electorate)
Bay of Plenty is a New Zealand electoral division returning one member to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current representative Tony Ryall, a member of the National Party, has represented the seat since 1996.- Geography :...
for the Kiwi Party in the 2008 General Election. He did not win the seat, garnering only 2,258 votes, losing to incumbent Tony Ryall
Tony Ryall
Anthony Boyd Williams "Tony" Ryall is New Zealand politician. He has represented voters and the National Party in the New Zealand Parliament since 1990. Since November 2008 he has served as a cabinet minister, holding the posts of Minister of Health and Minister of State Services...
.
In 2010, Christiansen put his name forward for a seat in the Tauranga City Council local body elections. He won and was the highest polling at-large candidate with 10,268 votes. The people of Tauranga has very high hopes for Christiansen to bring his aspirational attitude and positivity to the Council.
Personal life
Christiansen married Elaine Walton (néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Sumsion) on 27 October 1980, 4 days after his 21st birthday. She is 9 years older and a divorcee with a daughter Nicola from her first marriage. Nicola was 6 years old when they got married.
Christiansen and Elaine have a daughter Danielle (born 1 March 1979) and a son Lucas (born 14 August 1982). They also have 4 grandchildren Houston, Zavier, Armani and Tyler.
After almost 30 years marriage, Christiansen and Elaine separated in 2009.