17th November 2025
A Duchy College student is preparing for a summit attempt on Mont Blanc next summer, aiming to become the first recorded under-18 Cornish youth to reach the 4,810m peak.
Sixteen-year-old Finn, who studies Military and Protective Services at Duchy College Stoke Climsland, plans to carry the Cornish flag to the summit while raising money for HighGround, a charity that supports veterans and service leavers into land-based careers.
“I’ve always pushed myself outdoors, but Mont Blanc is the biggest challenge I’ve taken on,” said Finn.
“I want to prove that someone my age from Cornwall can take on something this demanding. HighGround is important to me because they help people leaving the military find new direction. I hope to join the Royal Marines in two years, so it’s a charity I might need one day. I’d love people to support the climb and help me reach, or even beat, my £5,000 target.”
Finn already has significant experience, having solo hiked on Dartmoor since he was 14, summited a 3,000m peak in the Italian Alps this summer and completed a multi-day route through the Pyrenees with a friend. He has played rugby with the Cornish All Blacks for ten years and spends much of his spare time training across climbing, hiking, snowboarding, surfing, boxing and downhill mountain biking.
Jon Stone, Senior Study Programme Manager for Military and Protective Services, said: “Finn shows the discipline, planning and determination needed for an ascent like this. Taking on Mont Blanc at 16 reflects his ambition and the confidence he brings to his training and studies.”
Finn works two hospitality shifts a week to cover equipment and training costs and is aiming to keep public donations focused on HighGround by seeking business support for the expedition. He hopes the scale of the challenge and the purpose behind it will encourage people across Cornwall to back the charity.
Find out more and support the challenge at www.goodhub.com/go/montblancchallenge
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