Talan Skeels-Piggins is a Double World Champion, European Champion, National Champion and Winter Paralympian. As the worlds first paraplegic to hold both motorcycle and car race licences, he lives his life to the very best of his ability. With twelve years of public speaking experience, Talan is an inspirational and enlightening speaker, with a life-changing story to share.  

 

Paralysed from the chest down in 2003, Talan was an active PE teacher and a serving Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserves. After just eight days of being paralysed, Talan claimed he would learn to ski, get into the National Team and represent Great Britain at the 2010 Winter Paralympics.  Seven years later he became Britains top placed male skier in the Giant Slalom and Super G events at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games. The following year he went on to win the opening Super G race of the EUROPA Cup season, and through consistent performances became European Champion for the Super G discipline.

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Talan entered the history books on 21 June 2012 when he became the first paraplegic to race a motorcycle in an able-bodied race.  This has changed the course of his sport forever, having overcome great odds to achieve something that many thought was impossible. In 2015 he became World Champion in the 600cc category for Paraplegic Motorcycle Racers, a feat he repeated in 2018 in the re-named International Bridgestone Handy Race series. He has also become the first paraplegic to become a licence Motorcycle Race Instructor, and the first paraplegic in to hold both car and motorcycle race licences, competing in the 2016 Porsche Club Championships.

 

In 2006 he claimed a landmark ruling by becoming the first paraplegic to be retained in the Royal Navy on active service.  He continued to serve with NATO taking charge of Navigational Safety advice at NATO HQ in Northwood during maritime exercises. This ruling enabled more disabled military personnel to continue to serve their country.

 

After taking up archery to balance the high speed lifestyle, in 2021 Talan won the British Masters Championship in Barebow Archery (this was an able bodied competition).

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In recognition of Talan’s achievements he has been awarded an Honorary Masters from Chichester University, become BANES Sports Personality in 2010, he was part of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay during its journey across Great Briton and part of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Flame Relay (which took the Flame under the Channel Tunnel).