Gotzon Mantuliz Biography

Gotzon Mantuliz Dudagoitia (born August 10, 1988 in Getxo, Vizcaya, Basque Country) is a designer, model, TV commentator/presenter and winner of the 5th edition of the well known Spanish television show "El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo."? The show is broadcast on ETB2, the second television channel of Euskal Telebista (ETB), the Basque public television channel. Following his success, Dudagoitia started working as a commentator in the debate of "El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo"?, called "El Conquis: La Aventura"? and directed by Patxi Alonso, a Basque journalist. In 2015 he was premiered as a TV presenter with the program "Safari Wazungu"?. He has also published a book called "Gotzon Mantuliz. Diario de un conquistador."?

Early life and education

Gotzon Mantuliz Dudagoitia was born August 10, 1988 in Getxo, Vizcaya, Basque Country, but resides in Berango from his early childhood. He attended primary, secondary and high school education in Gaztelueta in Leioa. He completed his university studies at the School of Nursing of Leioa University of the Basque Country (UPV), from which he holds a diploma in nursing since 2010. When he was 16, he travelled to Ireland for 2 months and worked in a supermarket. He has always combined studies with different type of works.

He has been a painter, worked in a surf shop, as a waiter in a major club in the Basque Country and The Image Club, as a graphic designer and as an adventure travel guide for Marco Polo Club agency, among other things. His interest in clothes and design led him to embark on a new project: the creation of an ecological footprint that is called hakao and which allocates part of the profits to fight for charitable causes in favor of the environment and animals. Travelling has become another of his interests. He has travelled much of Europe, Turkey, Costa Rica, Argentina, Jamaica, Thailand and other remote places.

El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo 5 Edicin (2009)

In 2009, with just 19 years, he joined the most successful program of ETB, El conquistador del fin del mundo. He did so with the sole intention to be tested, to learn the limits of his body and see how far he could get. His affable nature and excellent physical condition made him the most deserving winner of the contest, beating five grueling duels and breaking all records of the program. Little did he know what his appearance on television was going to report him. At the broadcasting of the final, up to 500,000 spectators watched the show during the two and a half hours that it lasted. Gotzon became a well-known image in the Basque region, and the audience recognized him as the favorite audience participant with the 85% of votes. Over the next few weeks, Gotzon visited most of the sets of the Basque television, gave interviews to the main news of the Basque Country and his image became an attraction for teens and parents, who saw him as an example of good values.

Gotzon Mantuliz. Diario de un conquistador

His time in the contest opened doors to new projects, like collecting his experience on the reality of adventure in a book. With the help of Gorka Larrumbide, a basque journalist who shaped the history of the novel, Gotzon published his first novel, "Gotzon Mantuliz. Diario de un Conquistador"?, in 2010. It was a best-seller in the Basque Country, being for several weeks in the list of the best selling books and receiving rave reviews from the press.

Activity as a model

His fresh and casual image led him to start modeling, collaborating and working with some of the most important photographers of the time, Lucho Rengifo, Pedro Usabiaga or Carlos Hernandez, noting his great potential. Gotzon has collaborated with brands such as Hugo Boss and Xtg, and has been the advertising face of brands such as Vans and Reef. A few years ago now, he participated in solidarity parades as a model posing with clothing for sport brands such as Nike. For two years, he was the face of the launch of the Euskaltel orange shirt for the Tour de France, and has also served as a judge in the Miss and Mister Euskadi contest. Gotzon was image of the advertising campaign conducted by El Diario Vasco lending his image for promotional shirts of "El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo"?, which quickly sold out, noting its great potential.

TV collaborations

In 2011, he combined his job as a model with working in one of the most successful programs of EITB "El Conquis: La aventura"?. Also, each week he had his own section in the program called "El juego del Conquistador"?, which was presented through the website. He received several proposals to participate in Supervivientes (Espaa) 2011, a reality show emitted in Telecinco. However, he rejected the offer because he didnt like the factors such as visiting other programs of the TV channel that lend themselves to discussion and conflict once the adventure has finished. Currently, thanks to the experience he obtained by being a guide in countries such as Africa, and all the sports that he practices, he travels with the team of "El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo"? to test the activities and interview the participants, which is shown in the debate with his section "GotzON"?. In 2015 he was premiered as a TV presenter with the program "Safari Wazungu"?, which was cancelled due to its poor ratings. Nonetheless, it will resume its broadcasting once "El Conquistador del Amazonas"? ends.

Safari Wazungu TV show

This TV show is a new reality format in which eight unique characters will go on a safari through Africa, ready to meet whatever adventure throws at them. The aim is clear:to find the best explorer. Africa is the chosen stage to hold this original road movie, and Gotzon Mantuliz, the winner of 'El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo' and a professional guide in this kind of trips, will be the presenter of this peculiar safari, helped by a team of African guides. 'Safari Wazungu' is not a survival program, it is rather an adventure where the coexistence between the characters and their ability to adapt to an environment so strangely unknown to them prevails. For this reason the program has been named with "wazungu", a Swahili term that is used in many parts of Africa to refer to Europeans, "whites" who visit them, something like the "foreigners" of the place.

In each episode, "wazungus"? will face challenges that will prove their courage and their capacity to surpass themselves. They will have to live together and demonstrate their ability to adapt to the new environment, to face dramatic challenges that will test their courage and ability to overcome themselves. These are the contestants and companions of Gotzon Mantuliz in the African adventure:Ramn Roteta, Virginia Berasategi, eat Mitogo, Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez, Arantza Garcs, Begoa Alonso, Yong Li, and Yogurinha Borova. However, the program was cancelled due to its poor ratings. Nonetheless, its broadcast will come back once "El Conquistador del Amazonas"? ends.

AventraT

His adventurous spirit led him to create, from its official website a section called 'AventraT' where his followers propose challenges to overcome and he is posing with powerful and spectacular videos and photos. It has already swum between shark has eaten insects in Thailand, was launched into space from a bridge 65 meters carrying Goming or have flown the Biscay coast paragliding, among other things.

• Season 1

1. Diving with sharks
2. Thai delicacies
3. Paragliding
4. Puenting and Goming
5. Guarrindongadas with David de Jorge

La ruta del Okavango

In the summer of 2014, Gotzon lived one of the most unforgettable moments of his life as an adventurer. Being part of the exclusive team Ratpanat, he travelled to Africa to serve as guide in the fascinating 'Okavango Route'. A dream trip through the heart of Africa visiting Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. A unique experience for any lover of nature and animals.

Television

• El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo (2009)
• "Aconcagua: la aventura" (2010)
• Ni ms ni menos (2010)
• Vaya Semanita (2010)
• El Conquis: la aventura (2011)
• El juego del Conquistador (2011)
• Atrpame si puedes (2014)
• Commentator in "El Conquis: la aventura" (2011-Present)
• Safari Wazungu (2015 - 2016)

Bibliography

• "Gotzon Mantuliz. Diario de un conquistador" (By Gorka Larrumbide in 2010)