Twenty-four hours to erg record

Junior squad getting set to break 24-h world record
© Wycliffe Sculling Centre

The indoor rowing machines were in full use at the Wycliffe Sculling Centre in the south-west of Great Britain. The centre’s junior squad wanted to set the junior world record for 24 hours and 324 kilometres later the record was theirs.

While raising money for the Tsunami relief fund, 14 rowers aged between 13 and 17 years old, surpassed an initial target of 320 kilometres and managed to cover a total distance of 324 kilometres.

Wycliffe head coach Adi Dolo said the idea came when they noticed there was no record for 24 hours of erging in the junior category. Her team has now set the standard.

Each rower took turns to row for 10 minutes and then rested for two hours before rowing again. Dolo kept one erg going with team members helping rowers swap on and off the erg at the end of 10 minutes. The team had to row about ten times each and Dolo says the toughest times were between 3am and 5am.

“The morale and enthusiasm of the team was unshakeable, even in the small hours of Sunday morning,” says Dolo who used a steady stream of sandwiches and cakes to keep the team fresh.

Last year Dolo organised a 100,000 metre ergathon. Next year?

To learn more about Wycliffe rowing please visit: www.wycliffesculling.co.uk

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