Record row: Brothers finish epic voyage
Brothers Lachlan, Jamie and Ewan Maclean, from left, have set a world record after rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in just 35 days, beating the previous record for a trio making the crossing in 41 days.
Three Edinburgh brothers have smashed the world record for rowing across the Atlantic after completing the mammoth feat in Antigua after just 35 days.
Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean were taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge where teams of rowers race to cross the Atlantic in the quickest time.
The brothers, known as Broar, set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on 12 December.
They finally arrived yesterday after a gruelling 35 days, nine hours and nine minutes, breaking the previous benchmark of 41 days.
The trio also became the first brothers to row any ocean and the youngest threesome to ever row the Atlantic.
Ewan Maclean described the feat as the “defining experience of my life”.
His brothers Jamie, a Glasgow
School of Art graduate, and Lachlan, a student at Glasgow University, convinced the design engineer for Dyson in Bristol to take a sabbatical from his work to make the world record attempt.
Ewan said: “They had to twist my arm, but I will be forever grateful to my brothers for convincing me to do this.
“This was, without doubt, the defining experience of my life. It was incredibly difficult, but the way we came together, the way our bodies and minds coped with every single challenge, will stay with me for a long time.” Despite spending the last 20 days of the trip without music, podcasts or audiobooks due to damage to electrical cables, the trio kept themselves entertained with a bagpipe, harmonica and ukelele they had brought along.
Overcoming seasickness, battery issues, storms, dehydration and exhaustion, Ewan said the brothers have been brought closer together by the experience. He said: “It definitely tested our relationship, but it was remarkable how we were able to lift each other up as we struggled. It’s brought us closer together, although I am looking forward to getting to see and talk to some different people. We don’t do things by halves, so we were always going to go for a world record.
“I’m incredibly proud of beating the record, but mostly I’m proud of the money we’ve raised for charity and the difference we’ll make to two causes very close to our hearts.
“Who knows what comes next. We’ll be eyeing up other oceans.”
The brothers are raising money for charities Feedback Madagascar and Children First, aiming to raise £250,000.
Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity, while Feedback Madagascar works with some of the poorest communities in Madagascar to improve their lives and their environment.