First Boats Complete Atlantic Challenge

The last few days has seen a hive of activity on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean as the first crews completed the Atlantic Challenge. This edition of the challenge had 36 teams – ranging from solos up to fives – and they set off on 12 December to make the crossing of over 3000 miles starting from La Gomera in Spain’s Canary Islands.

The race was first run in 1997 and took place roughly every two years after. Given the number of people wanting to take part in the challenge, it became an annual event in 2015. The record for the crossing currently stands at 29 days 14 hours and 34 minutes which was a four man team. During the crossing, rowers burn in excess of 5,000 calories per day and an average rower will lose 8kg during the crossing. Their food intake will include rehydrated meals, oatakes, chocolate and fruit.

The overall winners this year were “Swiss Raw”. Roman Möckli, Ingvar Groza, Jan Hurni, and Samuel Widmer, four best friends, who had met during their military service. They completed the crossing in 34 days, 23 hours and 42 minutes. In the final stages of their challenge, “Atlantic Flyers” from the UK and “Five in a Row” from Scotland had a neck and neck battle with Atlantic Flyers pushing hard during the final night to get to La Gomera first – their result of 36 days and 24 minutes beat the Scottish crew’s result of 36 days, 3 hours and 33 minutes.

Upon finishing the challenge, the Scottish crew described the race as the hardest thing they had ever done, with crew member Ian Baird saying “We had 40ft waves and then rogue ones that would dump water all over you, knocking you off your seat onto the deck. It was absolutely awful.”

Atlantic Nomads – a trio of James Woolley, Tom Rose & Taylor Winyard were tenth overall across the line and became the new World Record holders for the fastest mixed trio, finishing in 40 days and 37 minutes. The crew generally worked a shift pattern of two hours on, two hours off, but they sometimes forwent sleep in order to spend time with one another on deck as a trio.

Next across the line, with a time of 40 days, 5 hours and 30 minutes, was “One Ocean Crew” who became the winners of the Women’s Class in this year’s challenge. They had been racing head-to-head with “The Mothership”, also a women’s four, who crossed the line around seven hours later. Lebby Eyres, crew member of The Mothership said; “We had some crazy nights out there. We conquered everything. We met the challenges and overcame them.”

With many boats still out on the ocean, Denmark’s Lasse Wulff Hansen (a.k.a. “Ocean Warrior” is currently lined-up to be the first solo to make it to La Gomera. Unfortunately, fellow soloist, Simon Howes (“Atlantic Rower”) had to retire from the challenge one day in after completing 24 miles, due a serious arm injury. The record for a solo currently stands at 30 days, 7 hours and 49 minutes, which was set by Mark Slats in the 2017/18 race, when he beat the previous single-handed record by a staggering 19 days.

Find out more about the race and follow the progress of the remaining crews on the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge website.

All photos thanks to “Atlantic Campaigns”