Rowers complete epic 3,000-mile Atlantic journey in under 40 days
FOUR YORKSHIREMEN have survived injuries, attacks by flying fish and a near-miss with a tanker to take fifth place in a 3,000-mile trans-Atlantic rowing race.
The Row4Victory quartet, from North Yorkshire, completed the race, from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, in just under 40 days.
The annual Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, dubbed the world’s toughest rowing race, saw 28 teams of rowers set off on the epic journey on December 12 in an effort to raise money for charity. Row4Victory arrived in Antigua at 3.32am (GMT) yesterday – completing the endurance challenge in 39 days, 15 hours and 42 minutes.
Skipper Will Quarmby, a 36-year-old landscape gardener from Ripon, said: “Well, we’ve only gone and done it: 3,000 miles of open ocean crossed with nothing but oars and Yorkshire grit. To see land, then lights, then boats, then people really built our excitement, adrenaline and the feeling of achievement.”
The team, who count one current and two former armed forces personnel among their number, are raising money for the Royal British Legion and the military charity Soldier On.
Mr Quarmby was joined on board the tiny eight-metre boat by Fraser Mowlem, a 41-yearold serving Royal Air Force chief technician from Linton-onOuse; Glyn Sadler, 37, a former Royal Marines Commando from Borrowby; and 28-yearold Sapper Duncan Roy, from Ingleby Arncliffe, who was medically discharged from the Royal Engineers in 2018.
Since leaving La Gomera in December, the team have regularly blogged about their experiences, which included Mr Quarmby being hit in the face by a flying fish during a night row; Spr Roy being stung by a jellyfish during a routine cleaning of the hull; and their frantic attempts to contact a long ship that was on course to pass their rowing boat within about 50 yards.
To see land, then lights, then boats, then people really built excitement. Will Quarmby, skipper with Row4Victory