One ocean row begins, another ends

The race includes solo scullers, pairs, fours and a crew of eight that is hoping to set a record.

The Indian Ocean Rowing Race is the longest rowing race by distance. Made up predominantly of British competitors, the boat of eight includes American Paralympic rower Angela Madsen. World Champion adaptive rower Madsen has already completed the Trans-Atlantic rowing race and in the crew of eight she will be the only adaptive rower.

The boats and crews are now all gathered in Geraldton for last minute preparation before the race begins on 19 April. Madsen’s eight will leave a couple of days later after a last minute crew change was necessary. The crew will aim for a record-setting time.

Website: www.indianoceanrowingrace09.com

As the Indian Ocean rowers prepare to depart, world ocean rower Oliver Hicks of Great Britain has called off his attempt. Hicks left Australia’s southern island of Tasmania on 25 January and after 83 days of slow progress Hicks decided to end his around the world row. On his website Hicks cited the main reason as being incredibly poor progress.

The original plan was to row around the world at the Antarctic end, 50 degrees South, in roughly two years. But his initial slow progress would have meant that Hicks would have been rowing through the deep south in winter. “It is not recommended to winter in the deep south in any vessel,” Hicks said on his website.

Hicks has now altered course to aim for landfall on New Zealand’s southern island of Stewart Island. When Hicks called off the trip he was still about 300km west of Stewart Island so there is still much rowing to make it to land.
Hicks has every intention of re-planning the trip. He plans to go back to the drawing board and work out how to make the adventure possible.

Hicks' website: www.virginglobalrow.com