Book: The Conquerors

The amazing adventurer John Jacoby, co-founder and director of Rapid Ascent, is immortalised with an enthralling chapter in John Craven’s acclaimed new book The Conquerors, an 800-page epic which documents the careers of the Geelong region’s 100 all-time great international sports stars and Brownlow medallists. The book weighs 1.4kgs and features astonishing stories on champion athletes from a remarkable 33 sports. Torquay-based Jacoby won an unprecedented four world marathon kayak titles among a stunning array of victories in some of the planet’s most revered adventure race challenges. His crowning achievement occurred in 2015 when he celebrated his 50th birthday with three mates by daringly circumnavigating the inhospitable South Georgia Island in single kayaks – a 500km world record-shattering trek in the treacherous, iceberg-littered waters of the South Atlantic Ocean. The extraordinary feat is glamorised with a beautiful picture on The Conquerors’ front cover.