Clifton Wrottesley

Early life

Wrottesley was born at Hatch Street, Dublin in 1968 to the Hon. Richard Francis Gerard Wrottesley and his wife, Georgina Wrottesley, née Clifton, daughter of Lt. Col. Peter Clifton of Dummer House, Hampshire, and his wife, Patricia Mary Adela Clifton, née Gibson-Watt, of Doldowlod House, Radnorshire.

His first two years were spent in Abbyknockmoy, Co Galway. After his father's death, he moved to Spain with his mother.

He was educated at Eton College, Edinburgh University and Sandhurst (Grenadier Guards).

Through his paternal grandmother he is a descendant of the Stratford family, and through his maternal grandfather the Clan Bruce. He inherited the Wrottesley Barony in 1977 upon the death of his grandfather, his father having died when he was two.

Career

Wrottesley works in property and fine wine. Wrottesley was chair of British Skeleton from 2012-2017 and is a board member of the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) since 2012.

HM Revenue and Customs have issued tax demands for 2000 to 2008 on the basis that Wrottesley was domiciled in the UK. Wrottesley has appealed, contending that his domicile of origin is in the Republic of Ireland. The first-tier tribunal has issued a preliminary ruling but has not yet issued a final decision in the case.

Skeleton

Wrottesley competed as an Irish skeleton racer on the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT) Skeleton Continental circuits in the 2000-2001 season and the FIBT World Cup circuit in the 2001-2002 season. He finished fourth in the Men's Skeleton at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. As of 2014, this remains the best result of any Irish athlete at the Olympic Winter Games.

Wrottesley and his father both competed in bob sleigh for Great Britain before competing for Ireland.

During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, he served as chef de mission for the Irish team.

Cresta Run

Wrottesley is also a rider of the Cresta Run, St Moritz, Switzerland. He has ridden on the Run since the 1988-1989 season, won his Cresta colours in 1996, and has won many of the Open races since his first victory in 1997 (although he did not compete on the Run in the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons, due to commitments on the FIBT Skeleton circuits).

Of the 4 Classic Races on the Cresta Run, Wrottesley has won The Curzon Cup (the Blue Riband event of the season from Junction) a record 11 times (beating Nino Bibbia's record of 8), The Morgan Cup a record 12 times (beating Franco Gansser's record of 10), The Brabazon Trophy a record 14 times and the Grand National (the Blue Riband event of the season from Top) a record 13 times (beating Nino Bibbia and Franco Gansser's record of 8).

Wrottesley has also won The Grand Slam a record 5 times (all 4 Classic races in the one season), in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2012.

Wrottesley holds the record for the number of Classic races won with a total of 50 to date, was the first person ever to break the 50 second barrier (on 1 February 2015) and in doing so holds the World Record from Top (49.92 seconds). Wrottesley also holds the Flying Junction Record (31.44 seconds).

Personal life

He lives in St Moritz, Switzerland and London, England. He is married to Sascha Wrottesley, née Schwarzenbach, Lady Wrottesley and the daughter of Urs Schwarzenbach, the Swiss billionaire financier. The couple have four children: three sons, Victor, Magnus and Luca, and a daughter Isla.