2021 Race Entrants

At 55, I am at the point in my life where I am fortunate to have the opportunity to repay a small part of the blessings I have had in my life.   I chose Okizu as my charity to support as they do amazing work and childhood cancer sucks!  The mission of Okizu is to help all members of families affected by childhood cancer to heal through peer support, respite, mentoring, and recreational programs.   Okizu is committed to the continuing support of the Oncology, Siblings, Family, Bereavement, and Teens-N-Twenties programs. Okizu understands that all family members, including the ill child, parents, and siblings, are all impacted in unique and powerful ways by childhood cancer. The opportunity for interactions with genuine peers and the strong sense of community fostered by a residential camp environment provide valuable emotional and practical support for continuing the cancer journey, while also allowing everyone to take a break from their routine and have a great time.   Because many of the families Okizu serves are already financially stressed from the expenses associated with their child’s illness, Okizu does not charge a fee to attend Camp Okizu and families attend all of Okizu’s programs free of charge.   While it is heart breaking to see kids and their families deal with childhood cancer, it is also inspiring. The strength that these kids demonstrate in the face of such adversity is amazing – they are true little warriors. I will seek to channel their strength as I face the adversities of the row but these will pale in comparison to what these kids are forced to handle.

I am just an ordinary chap living on the beautiful Isle of Wight with an amazing family and have never rowed before in my life. I will be in my 67th year when I participate in The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 2021. Recently on a visit to Antigua I became truly inspired by the sight of rowers arriving into English Harbour having just completed the gruelling 3,000 mile crossing. I don’t expect this outing is going to be a doddle, but given my age, this may be the final chance for me to row the Atlantic Ocean solo. I am self-funding my row and have decided to support a local charity, The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust, registered charity No: 1112374. Red squirrels are simply amazing animals, they are an endangered species and need our help to survive, please visit my website www.AtlanticRower.com for more information’.

One man. Alone. Betrayed by the country … no wait, wrong movie. Except this isn’t a movie at all, this is real life, what have I gotten myself into? I’m a 27 year old system engineer who spent his whole life in front of a computer, I’m in no position to row across an ocean. But I guess that’s exactly why I want to do it, I like a good challenge, I like to make the impossible possible. As soon as somebody says ‘That’s never going to work’ I’ll say ‘Let me try’. To choose a charity wasn’t really difficult: The brother of my best friend was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease affecting multiple organs. Although treatments improved a lot over the last 20 years, there are still too many people dying from it. Her brother was one of them too, he didn’t live to the age I am now. I experienced first-hand what the worst case of this disease looks like and decided to do something about it. I can’t reverse his death, but hopefully, together, we’ll be able to prevent others from enduring the same fate. You can help too, either by donating money, or by registering as an organ donor, since the lives of cystic fibrosis patients are extendable by receiving a spare lung. It’s free and only takes a couple of minutes, so what are you waiting for?

I’m doing this row as a natural followup to my two other crossings. I participated in TWAC18 as a pair and in TWAC19 as a four. For me the only logical thing to do is to complete a solorow. I have been wanting to do this for a while and I am looking very much forward to experiencing this challenge from an entirely new perspective and in many ways this feels like my first row. I love this challenge and it has become a huge part of my self understanding and my identity and I find it very interesting how it might end up consuming you. At least that is what happened to me. SMILfonden (the Smile foundation) is an organisation that helps chronically ill children and their families. The foundation does this by arranging all sorts of activities and experiences for the children in particular, but also their parents who often suffer from the stress and worries that comes with having a child that is very ill. Furthermore the foundation helps fund new and better facilities for the treatment of chronically ill children elsewhere in the World. I have chosen to support this charity, because I have just become a father myself and it makes me understand the hardships and difficult times that these children and especially their parents and families go through. It is also a non-political organisation that solely works for the wellbeing and for wonderful memories of children who shouldn’t face such challenges on a daily basis.

Dave: Why do I want to row an ocean? I don’t really know. It has just sort of happened. I remember cycling past some farm buildings, near where I live, and seeing these strange looking rowboats. I wondered what they were all about and I wanted to find out more. An internet search revealed that they were ocean rowboats. The seed was sown. I wanted to row the Atlantic!

My wife would not let me do something this mad alone so I needed a buddy. I put out a few feelers and have been lucky enough to find the perfect rowing partner all the way from the USA! Her name is Jayme. She is obviously as mad as the rest of the people that want to row the Atlantic, so she was ideal. The dream team has been formed.

The charity we are supporting is debra.org.uk This charity helps kids with EB ( epidermolysis bullosa ). These kids are also known as Butterfly children because their skin is as delicate as a butterflies wing. The slightest touch can cause the skin to blister and come off.

A few years prior, I remember seeing a programme on the TV about a girl who had a really bad skin problem. Her skin just seem to come off at the slightest touch. I remember seeing her mum taking off the girl’s bandages and the skin coming away with the bandage. As you can imagine the girl was in agony. I reckon she was only 7 or 8 years old. She was crying out in pain. Her mum applied various creams and redressed the girl in clean bandages. The girl was like any other child of that age. She wanted to play with her mates and do all the things that girls, of this age, do. I have 2 girls so I know what It is all about. This poor girl would have to go through this process several times a day for the rest of her life and yet she seemed so positive and full of life that it was amazing. It really struck a chord with me. I could not imagine how I would be if one of my girls became very ill and how I would cope.

When I was looking for a team name I thought that something to do with butterflies would be good.  A google search came up with Tropical Blue Wave. This is the name of a butterfly. I don’t believe in fate but this had to be the team name.

Rowing the Atlantic will not only be a personal challenge for me and Jayme but will also help raise awareness and money for DEBRA and help towards finding a cure for EB.

#Fight EB

Jayme: I would like to do the row because it is both a physical and mental challenge that pushes an individual to see what they are made of. It is a grand adventure and one where Dave and I get to bring light to an amazing charity to hopefully gain support around the world. I want to be a part of something more and be able to help others and if I can push my body to its limits to do so, then I am even more excited. I think everything good in life comes from sacrifice and hardwork and this event is no different however while being able to help others I too get to have a sense of pride in all the hardwork my teammate and I put in to make this dream a reality.

In 1989-1990 we were sailing on the same racing yacht in the Whitbread Round the World Race. Later we were partners in business during more than a decade. During this time, we got to know each other better and learned that we share a weird sense of humour, a “never give up” attitude a passion for extreme sports and competitive mindset.Some fifteen years ago we participated in an endurance rowing race with traditional single wooden boats just for fun. The first time gave a spark to go for rowing as a fitness sport. Now we are ready combine our passion for rowing and off shore sailing background and are eager to join forces once again and take the challenge to row the Atlantic. The Finnish archipelago and the shores of the Baltic Sea have been our home since childhood. Today the Baltic Sea is in critical condition and is considered one of the most polluted seas in the world. The most severe problems are hazardous substances, risk related to marine traffic, loss of biodiversity and eutrophication. The Baltic Sea can still be saved but will require immediate actions. Our two charity partners John Nurminen Foundation and Keep the Archipelago Tidy association work both with the same goal when it comes to saving waterways, the archipelago and the Baltic Sea for coming generations and our goal is to raise awareness and engage a large public to support the work of these organisations.The mission of John Nurminen Foundation is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations. They implement concrete Baltic Sea protection measures that bring results, and ensure that the stories of the sea are passed on to future generations. Keep the Archipelago Tidy association maintains environmentally important services, such as dry toilets, pump-out stations and waste collection points on all the main coastal and lake areas in Finland. The aim for this concrete environmental work is to make sustainable boating and recreation by Finnish waterways possible.

Ben and Mat met as fellow employees and became fast friends as they shared their excitement about adventure and fitness. Mat shared his vision and dream for competing in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, and the rest is history for Team Praetoarian.

Considered “The World’s Toughest Row”, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge presents Ben and Mat the platform and opportunity to raise funds and create awareness for the incredible Make-A-Wish Foundation. Rowing out of Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Team Praetoarian is fortunate to have the opportunity to be partnering with the local Make-A-Wish Branch of Central and Northern Florida.

“A wish can be a game-changer for a child with a critical illness. This one belief guides us in everything that we do at Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida. It inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve, compels us to be creative in exceeding the expectations of every child, and drives us to make our donated resources go as far as possible. Most of all, it’s the founding principle of our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child. Founded in 1994,  Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida has granted over 5,800 wishes.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation overall has granted over 285,000 wishes nationwide.

In addition to his regular training, Mat has previously challenged himself with endurance and obstacle races including a Double Spartan Trifecta completed in 2018. Ben has enjoyed challenging endurance bicycle races including The Hotter’N Hell Hundred, The Katy Flatlands 100, and the LIVESTRONG Challenge.  Team Preatoarian is ready to do whatever it takes to rise to the great challenge that this event brings.

Will see y’all out there!

Guy was a great friend of David’s father, Richard. They raced their Salcombe Yawl together for many years and enjoyed numerous other adventures. In 2018, Richard succumbed to cancer after a long and challenging fight. Guy & David stayed in touch and, following a chance telephone call, Guy shared his idea to row across the Atlantic. David jumped at the opportunity and a plan was quickly hatched. This included a trip to La Gomera to see the preparations and start of TWAC 2019. Meetings with organisers, safety officers and participating crews quickly led to a decision to proceed and The Entrepreneur Ship was duly registered for the 2021 challenge. If a successful crossing is achieved, Guy & David believe they will be the oldest pair (based on combined age) to row any ocean. Both Guy & David have worked in or with entrepreneurial businesses for many years. They have come to realise the power of entrepreneurship and the part it plays in supporting communities, generating both jobs and wealth. It is entrepreneurs who innovate and disrupt the status quo and create new, sustainable, solutions and it will be entrepreneurs who solve many of the challenges that our world faces today. But even entrepreneurship is developing. Increased awareness of environmental and social challenges, together with growing accountability and scrutiny from the media and the public at large, mean that more and more businesses are focusing on people and planet as well as profit, the so called “triple bottom line”. This is the domain of the social entrepreneur. The team’s vision is to change the world for the better, one business at a time. For this reason, our chosen charity is The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, which trades as UnLtd, whose aim is to develop a generation of social leaders with enduring impact. UnLtd finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs – people with vision, drive and passion who develop solutions that change the world for the better. Along with their supporters, they help these entrepreneurs turn their expertise, talent and ideas into thriving businesses that address a range of critical social issues, benefiting communities and the wider economy. In 2018/19, the charity backed 458 social entrepreneurs, 28% of whom were BAME and 59% of whom were women. Crucially, the funding and support provided has helped to transform society with each social entrepreneur, on average, having a positive impact on 727 people’s lives. Overall, therefore, 333,000 people’s lives were improved by the social entrepreneurs UnLtd backed in 2018/19. Guy & David look forward to welcoming you on board!

Mental health impacts every one of us. We are not rowers, just two friends with careers in business and finance looking to break out of our comfort zones, push our limits and in the process raise some money for charity. Our mental health will arguably be more important than our physical health over the two months or so of the row. It is likely we will change our lives during the process and hopefully help a few others change theirs as well from the money we raise.

In the current coronavirus world it is hard to know what is around the corner but we both believe that preparation, teamwork, the ability to laugh at ourselves (#nakedrowing #poobucket), and both mental and physical resilience will get us across the Atlantic. Hopefully, we will even be speaking to each other at the end, after a shower and a large beer of course!

We’ve got a boat, a good start, and are in training but there is a long way to go… 3,000 miles to be precise. We will keep you posted here but please follow our progress on @TheMindcraft and maybe reach out to help us raise money along the way

We are two women on a mission to see just how far we can push ourselves while supporting two incredible charities. Victoria has been involved in rowing since she was 10 years old. Having competed at National Championships, major Head races and qualifying for Henley Women’s Regatta several times, she is no stranger to competitive rowing….although over a slightly shorter distance than the Atlantic! Victoria is head of marketing at her firm and coaches at Vesta Rowing Club. Saf learned to row in 2007 but her rowing aspirations were put on hold when she started at Sandhurst followed by a tour in Afghanistan. Saf came back to rowing in 2018 when she joined Vesta, coached by Victoria. Her 12 years serving in the British Army brings a wealth of organisational and leadership skills to the crew. Believers in the power of sport to transform body and mind, we have chosen to support Youth Sport Trust and London Youth Rowing who work to promote the importance of sport in the development of young people. With Victoria’s rowing background and Saf’s military expertise, we are ready to tackle this epic journey!

We are team ‘Wild Waves’ made up of Charlotte Harris and Jessica Oliver. Our goal is to raise vital funds for our chosen charities Shelter and Woman’s aid. We have been best friends since meeting at Cardiff University nearly 10 years ago! Our friendship has always been dotted with incredible challenges; Marathons, Triathlons and more recently an unbelievable ‘Fight Night’ with the White-Collar Fight Club. We constantly aim to push ourselves and try new things!  Collectivity we have raised over £8,000 for Charity, some could say a drop in the Ocean (excuse the pun!) when compared to our goal for this campaign. We researched the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge after the inevitable…..’well what’s next?’ conversation; it was front and center as the biggest, most rewarding, lifechanging experience we could undertake. It would also catapult our fundraising efforts well and truly to the next level. Both of us have very strong personalities with gritty determination and would go above and beyond to support each other. We are excited to see how this translates into this adventure. With no ocean or rowing ocean experience it will certainly be our hardest test yet! Having 10 years of friendship behind us, if we can survive all those days together in a boat, well then, we know we’ll be friends for life!

Team Migaloo stands for a sustainable, future-proof world. A world in which nature is clean and healthy and in which the oceans are plastic-free again. We believe that raising awareness for the importance of plastic waste reduction is a vital part of this. By participating in the TWAC team Migaloo contributes to making the world more sustainable. Of course, we can’t do this by ourselves. Therefore we are working together with various sustainable partners and we are reaching out to the youth. As they are the future we believe involving them is essential to achieve our goals. Only when they are activated and engaged real change is possible. And of course, we are passionate about rowing and we look forward to taking on this huge challenge crossing the ocean in 2021 as fast as we can. By the Ocean we Unite is a Dutch foundation with charitable status that contributes to preventing more plastics from ending up in our oceans. Through the organization of a variety of activities – sailing expeditions, lectures, documentaries & more – they conduct research, create awareness, educate and activate people, organizations and governments to make much needed changes. We have decided to join them and help protect the oceans, animals and ourselves from plastic pollution.

We met in school two years ago. This doesn’t seem very long, but we immediately had a connection. The similar past (living and studying abroad), the love for nature and animals, stubbornness and positive thinking connected us at day one. The idea of joining the challenge came with a documentary about ocean rowing. Marina fell in love with it and told Sonja about the challenge. And here we are… The reason why we’re doing it? We couldn’t find a reason why NOT to do it! We’re at a point in life, where we wanna do something for ourselves, support children with our charity and grow with the challenge. Giving up is never an option for us, but the most important thing is to take the challenge together, come out stronger, stay healthy and still be friends. Why we chose this charity? We were both happy to grow up in good old Switzerland with a happy childhood full of love. Not every child has this privilege in Switzerland. We worked in childcare in the United States and to grow up in a safe and loving environment is important for every child. With “Kovive” we found a loving and reliable charity to support children who live in poverty and dysfunctional families. Because every child deserves a safe and loving childhood.

Row for Impact is a team of 3 courageous Dutch women with just 1 goal: To raise funds and make an IMPACT on The Mentelity Foundation with each and every stroke it takes them to cover the 3000 nautical miles of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2021. Inspired by the legacy of distinguished paralympic athlete and founder of The Mentelity Foundation, Bibian Mentel, the team were determined to take on the TWAC 2021 race to make as much IMPACT as possible by contributing to this inspiring charity’s JUMP (JUniorModular Prosthesis) project. All three women in the team work in health care and are passionate about rowing. They know the importance for children to take part in sports, but for disabled children this can be a challenge, especially if they need adapted prosthesis which is not covered by insurance. The Mentality Foundation in The Netherlands started the JUMP project, which enables children to get their personal adapted prosthesis so they can join a sport of their choice. Being able to participate in sports makes an enormous positive impact on the lives of disabled children. Motivation to Move is the motto of The Mentality Foundation and the Row for Impact team, are Motivated to Move to make a massive IMPACT on the JUMP project.

Team Peninsula comprises of Sam, Will and Toby. Sam and Will are ultra-endurance athletes and Toby is an Army veteran. The team have a passion for pushing limits,  physical endurance and testing human spirit. Combining their endless quest for adventure with their desire to conserve the oceans and rescue them from plastic pollution, Team Peninsula have signed up for TWAC 2021 to challenge themselves and support this critical cause Team Peninsula’s mission is to raise awareness on responsible use of plastic and its damage to our oceans via a multifaceted approach: (1) Awareness and education, (2) Action & clean ups, (3) Global policy change. The damage caused to marine wildlife and fragile eco systems is already critical and work is needed now more than ever to reverse the tide on ocean pollution before the eco-systems irreversibly collapse forever Team Peninsula are committed to raise awareness of the importance for the world to use plastics responsibly and are seeking funds to help promote this critical cause to support policy change and cleanup action now. The Team are finalising which ‘ocean plastics’ charities they will be supporting.

Abby, Charlotte and Kat are just three ordinary girls who have decided to do something EXTRAOARDINARY and take on the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Having each had a taste of adventure over the past couple of years, the girls are now looking to push their boundaries and row the Atlantic as part of team EXTRAOARDINARY in 2021. Abby and Kat are looking to conquer another ocean, with one major crossing already under their belts. Having sailed across the Pacific as part of the Clipper Round the World Race in 2018, the high seas were once home, but this time round their boat will be a fifth of the size and there won’t be a toilet or kitchen on board. Charlotte is no stranger to endurance challenges either. In 2016, she walked the length of America on the Pacific Crest Trail, carrying everything she might need on her own back. A few months after setting off over stormy mountain passes and crossing paths with bears, she was left wanting more. Abby and Charlotte rowed together at both school and university, whilst Kat is yet to step foot in a rowing boat for the first time. Despite this, together they hope to be the fastest all female trio across the Atlantic in 2021, and might even have their sights set on breaking the record…. Above and beyond the sheer challenge of the race, the EXTRAOARDINARY crew are rowing to help put an end to cancer. Like so many others, cancer has played a part in all of our lives, but in particular for our teammate Kat, who was diagnosed with the devastating disease in 2019.

The Pacific Coast is known for innovation and pioneering spirit. Team Pacific Boys was forged by the tech industry and impassioned by a coast rich in human and natural history. Our shared desire for uncommon adventure and creating something greater than ourselves has inspired us to pursue the challenge of a lifetime. Visit us on our website to learn more.

As soon as we became aware of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, we knew it was the absolute challenge of a lifetime. Individually, we all hold a passion for the ocean and for the great outdoors, and when the opportunity presented itself we decided we simply couldn’t say no! It will be an awesome journey of self-discovery for each of us, and as a team, and we will be raising money for some amazing causes. In Deep Ship have chosen three charities to support. Homelessness in the UK has been on the rise each and every year. During 2020, we have been made especially aware of how the Covid-19 pandemic has made the homeless community especially vulnerable, but we have seen individuals, government, and industry work together to achieve the extraordinary, like finding temporary housing for thousands in the span of a few weeks. As lockdown is easing, many people face returning to the streets or to uncertain or unstable living situations, and some are being pushed to the brink of homelessness for the first time. We believe in Crisis UK’s vision that in a 21st century Britain, everybody should have a place to live and a place to call home. We have chosen therefore to support Crisis UK, and also Covenant House, which supports young people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver. We are also supporting Anthony Nolan, who helps save the lives of people with blood cancer and who need a stem cell (or bone marrow) transplant.

We are rowing to raise money for Victoria’s Promise in memory of Anna Smith (nee Cassell) who died at the age of 38 years after a short battle with bowel cancer. She leaves behind her husband, Ed and their 2 year old daughter, Alba. Anna was the most inspirational woman proving that anything is possible even at the most awful and difficult of times. Anna continued to bring up Alba, she helped and changed so many people’s lives and outlook on life through her positivity and even helped raise £31,000 for charity through various fundraising events….. all whilst going through chemotherapy treatment. We want to continue Anna’s legacy to prove that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. “Not every day is good but there is something good in every day”

Victoria’s Promise provided so much support to Anna, Alba and Ed. They are truly a magnificent charity that meant so much to them as a family. The support and services they offered were and still are priceless. The crew of Anna Victorious has seen and heard about the difference this charity makes to young women and their families going through cancer. We want to raise money so they can continue to support young women through their cancer journey.

The Bubbleheads is made up of 4 saturation divers. Claimed to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, our crew are no strangers to living and working in challenging environments. They live at depths of 100m+ for up to 28 days and on average are 5 days away from the surface at any time (it’s quicker to get back from the moon!). Prior to entering the TWAC 2021 race, rowing experience was limited to gym based rowing machines. It’s a steep learning and training curve and one which needs to fit in with erratic subsea work schedules. The Bubbleheads are entering the race to help raise vital funds and awareness for a local charity, which has been a vital lifeline for one crew member on a personal level.

In 2018, 541 US Active Duty military service members committed suicide, and on average 22 United States Veterans commit suicide daily, while thousands of US Veterans live with issues suffering from PTSD.  FOAR FROM HOME is an ocean row team composed of four Veterans from Fernandina Beach, Florida wanting to help eliminate Veteran Suicide.  Each rower served in different branches of the Military Service: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.  On December 12, 2021, these four ordinary guys will take part in an extraordinary mission, and row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Antigua to raise awareness and donations to help end Veteran Suicide in the Untied States, and to bring awareness of the serious issues associated with PTSD. FOAR FROM HOME will be rowing in a Rannoch design R45 Elite Ocean Rowboat, and will be rowing for K9s For Warriors, Cross The Line Foundation (CTLF), and The Fire Watch (FW).  K9s For Warriors is a nationally known Veteran nonprofit that pairs rescued dogs with veterans.  Over the last 5-years K9s For Warriors has seen a 99% success rate pairing rescue dogs with Veterans.  Our second donor recipient is Cross The Line Foundation.  CTLF is another Veteran nonprofit that focuses on ‘Now’ Veteran need such as college scholarships, vocational scholarships, and also uses the sport of paddling in the Coastal Waterways to help Veterans.  In 2022, donations received from the ocean row, will be used by CTLF to create a college and vocational scholarship endowment specific for Veterans and their families.  Finally, The Fire Watch Group is Northeast Florida’s fight to end veteran suicide. FW is uniting other Veterans and volunteers to activate local assets, stand watch and build a life-sustaining networks to help reduce the rate of Veteran suicide.  This effort is the first of its kind in the country. The FOAR FROM HOME Team understands the significant problem of Veteran Suicide and has committed to raise $500,000.  The four rowers understand the difficulties in trying to raise donations on this scale, but they are not stopping.  The Team is taking a collaborative approach, and is working hard to involve the entire community of followers with them on every campaign activity. The mission and campaign motto – “Its Takes an Island to Cross an Ocean.”  FOAR Guys with and amazing community, and cool followers are going to Row an Ocean to help End Veteran Suicide together.

Why row 3000 miles across an ocean? As a team, we have acknowledged the far-reaching personal value and growth associated with hardship and challenge. Having all rowed competitively in the past, we have experienced the joy and benefit of sharing a common goal and testing the limits of our own ability. Whilst the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is a seemingly incomprehensible leap from river rowing, to us it is the ultimate challenge, too unique to pass by. This is why we are dedicated to completing such an immense endeavour, that echoes the struggle facing mental health in Australia. With this journey in mind, we see the opportunity to provide a platform to raise money for Australia’s leading mental fitness charity, Gotcha4Life.

We are four friends, each of us having a love of the sea.  Although our paths have varied hugely since we joined the forces in the mid-nineteen eighties, we have all maintained the adventurous spirit that service life promotes. Each of us have tested our physical & mental limits over the years, and we now aim to pit ourselves against the mighty Atlantic Ocean in “The World’s Toughest Row”.  For us this is not just a test of physicality and seamanship but an opportunity to raise as much as we possibly can for our chosen charity; Action Medical Research, the charity fighting to help sick babies and children. Action funds critical research which helps find answers that can lead to vaccinations, treatments and cures for childhood diseases and premature birth. These are the answers that save and change lives. With teamwork engrained in our DNA we will work tirelessly to get to the start line before aiming to row the entire distance, some 3000 miles, in just 37 days. The target we have set ourselves represents the brief life of baby Elijah, a premature but much-loved son and brother, who sadly lived for just 37 days. As Team Elijah’s Star we will demonstrate the possible, to raise money for the capable, in order that they in turn can assist those in most need of help.

We are part of a rowing club that likes to have an adventure or two which has  included rowing the Irish Sea as part of the Celtic Challenge. We look at rowing the Atlantic as being one of the ultimate challenges people can strive to do and it resonated with our quest to see ordinary people do something extra ordinary. All four of us are close friends that live in Shropshire in the UK and are looking forward to working hard to prepare for the race. We are certainly not Olympians but for a group of guys in their mid-fifties, we are going to try to give the younger teams a good run for their money We are supporting two charities with our row. The first one Severn Hospice. This is a local charity to us all and helps people in respite care and has helped many families cope at the most difficult of times. We want to help support this essential service to our community. Our second charity is the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). As one of our crew is registered blind (although he does have periphery vision), we want to raise money for a charity that has a very direct impact on both our crew and the visually impaired nationally.

Four Royal Air Force Pilots, united by much more than the wings on their chests and a shared experience of frontline combat; Phil, Chris, Sonny and Si are all fiercely competitive and have a history of success as endurance athletes, having competed on the national and international stage across multiple sports and disciplines.

In their words: “Put simply, we want to test our leadership, teamwork, guts and stamina in an event like no other; in doing so we aspire to honour the core ethos of the RAF on the global stage and use this once in a lifetime opportunity to highlight and raise money for the incredible children’s charity starlight.” Starlight grants ‘wishes’ for children with terminal and life threatening illnesses, in doing so creating eternal smiles and memories for life’s most deserving souls.

Isla, Phil’s daughter, was one such deserving soul. In the midst of her heroic and successful battle with Leukaemia, Starlight granted her a magical wish, sending her on an unforgettable trip to Lapland. This intimate and personal connection is a huge source of motivation for Atlantic Flyers. As such, they are 100% committed to turning themselves inside out as they take on the biggest battle of their lives.

Harking from the mightiest sea faring nation on earth, the Nomads have it in their blood to seek challenge. The Nomadic bond is one forged through adversity and trial, exploration and risk, the never ending pursuit for the next challenge to bring them closer to their roots. The Nomads share a common ground, made of two pairs of friends; Tom and James, Rob and Dave they have all taken part in, and completed the fiendishly hard Marathon Des Sables in Morocco. Now, moving from the camel trains of the North African Sahara the Nomads have sort to find their nautical squadron to cross one of the fiercest oceans on the planet, the Atlantic. The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge provides the naval version of MDS, once you start everything has to be moved, hauled even, by the team for an extended period of time in pursuit of a common goal, not to conquer the Atlantic but to learn to live alongside it We agreed to support two charities during our row in 2021. The first is Alabare’s Home’s For Veterans. Rob and Dave are both British Army officers and have made it their profession to soldier and care for those under their command, both in service and when able those that have left. Whilst the charity is national, it highlights the need to support those service men and women who have served their country but have fallen on hard times. Rob has done work with the charity before in 2019 when he drove, with his wife Tina, from the UK to Eastern Turkey in their Land Rover Defender 110 called Doris. The adventure left life long impressions on both Tina and Rob, being able to visit 17 countries in 3 weeks if nothing else was Nomadic in nature. The second charity is Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony. James and Rob have ties to the equestrian community through current or previous professions. Hannah’s charity has been set up to support research into Bone Cancer in young people and children. Best known in the equestrian world thanks to the support of the tight knit community many riders wear a small Willberry Wonder Pony attached to their clothing or safety devices during numerous competitions globally.

The reasons vary among the team slightly but are all centred around wanting to challenge ourselves and get out of our comfort zones. This race will take us all to a completely different place and give us a unique life experience, not only in the row itself but the lessons we will learn just getting to the start line. The cherry on top is being able to raise a significant amount of money for a great charity. We are all united by rugby, we grew up playing it, for some it was a career and it’s how we met and bonded as friends. The charity Pass it Back uses sport and rugby specifically to provide education and opportunity to poor children in Asia, our adopted home.

We are four best friends who met during our military service. Since this challenging experience together we have been growing to an inseparable group, mastering great challenges together and developing a strong brotherhood. With the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge we have found the adventure of a lifetime and are looking forward to putting our friendship, as well as our physical and mental condition to the ultimate test. Being able to support a charitable organization as well with this project motivates us all even more. We chose the Swiss Children’s Charity Kovive, because we want to support the development of young people. As a partner, we want to show young people how they can conquer the world with their actions and accomplish highly challenging tasks in their lives. We are absolutely determined to reach for our limits and beyond in training, in order to cross the Atlantic as fast as possible.

Whilst we’re all doing this for slightly different reasons, as a team of women and Mums we collectively want to: 1. Inspire our children and women of all ages, reminding them that the power of our gender has no limitations and no challenge is too great to overcome 2. Raise funds for charities that are close to our hearts, delivering meaningful and transformational impacts to people who need it most. Noah’s Ark is a children’s hospice in London offering vital support to families when they need it most. During the COVID pandemic their resources have been further stretched through welcoming children from London hospitals, overwhelmed by COVID patients. The Felix Fund provides support to bomb disposal professionals and their families, injured in the line of duty. We learnt about their amazing work through our boat’s previous crew, The Felix Five, which included Pippa’s husband, David, and are keen to offer our support to this very worthy cause. We feel privileged and hugely excited to be taking on this incredible challenge, and can’t wait to join the other crews out in La Gomera in December!

One Ocean Crew came together through a shared passion for adventure and adversity.The team includes Jen Cullom, a Team GB physio from Oxfordshire; Emily Woodason, a landscape architect from London; Erin Bastian a kayak coach and wilderness guide from Cornwall; and Janette Potgieter (JP) a corporate investigator from Pretoria, South Africa. We are a motivated and challenge driven team. Between us we have rowed the Boston Marathon and the women’s Henley Regatta, trekked to Everest Base Camp, sailed halfway around the world, walked the UK’s three peaks in 24 hours, climbed Mont Blanc, circumnavigated Menorca in a kayak, paddled across the Aegean Sea and much more! We are all attracted to adventures that require grit, endurance and are something out of the ordinary… the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is calling! One Ocean Crew is thrilled to support the Sea Ranger Service as our official charity for the race. You’ve probably heard of park rangers for land, but have you heard about park rangers for the ocean? The Sea Ranger Service is a social enterprise that trains unemployed youth and provides them with a stepping stone into a maritime career. After extensive training and a rigorous selection process led by navy veterans, the Sea Rangers are deployed to assist nations to manage Marine Protected Areas. We believe that the Sea Ranger Service is the future of impactful ocean protection and we hope you will join us in supporting them.

The question of why we are facing this challenge is a question that we ask ourselves day by day. The main reason is that, we all want to have a great adventure. What it is like to physically and psychologically reach the limits of one’s own body and beyond. Out there, all alone, just with your team. To experience the violence of nature and to feel how small we are as human beings. We also see it as a chance to learn more about ourselves as Individual and to grow together as a family. Our Charity Ig Family 3plus is an organization that supports larger families that do not have big financial possibilities. They support the families with money, clothes, vacation possibilities, food, some time for mothers or just someone who listens when you need to talk to someone. We chose this charity because we all come from a big family. We grew up in a big family and had the joy of enjoying an amazing childhood.

Two of the rowers wants to feel it again….. the two others want to experience it for the first time. At the same time, we want to increase awareness on the issues around Covid-19 vaccine inequality. The metaphor “We Either Win Or Lose Together” goes for the team when crossing the Atlantic Ocean and for “us” as society when fighting COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to society. “No one is safe – until everyone is safe” the tagline in our team logo, means that we can only win this battle by fighting vaccine inequality globally.

The Force Atlantic crew are all proud members of our UK Armed Forces. Scott, Victoria, Phil and Laura have served worldwide and bring a plethora of experience to this challenging and testing arena. They have naturally formed a common bond during their time competing for the army at a number of indoor rowing championships and although they tend to do quite well, they have absolutely no experience of ocean rowing! This challenge may seem daunting to most but for the four Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructors, the mammoth mission of crossing the Atlantic Ocean can only but epitomize everything we believe in as comrades. We have a slightly odd but whacky sense of humour but love pushing the boundaries of our own mental and physical resilience while completely understanding and respecting one another and, equally important, the world we live in. Last but by no means the least, they look forward to building a unified bond that is inseparable during the harshest and toughest moments in life. We are proud to support the Royal British Legion who have helped members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families. The Royal British Legion is at the heart of a national network that supports our Armed Forces community and they have been with us through thick and thin, ensuring that our unique contribution is never forgotten. They are the country’s largest Armed Forces charity, with 235,000 members, 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities; helping them give support wherever and whenever it’s needed. They have been with us since 1921, which makes 2021 even more special as we celebrate their 100 years of loyalty and dedication to our extended family

The realisation that we will never be asked to play rugby for our respective nations (even though we have not played for 20 years), a lust to push the boundaries and step out of our comfort zone, some of us are in or close to entering our 40’s, we are all desperately trying to cling to the athletic youth we once had. The Scottish Coastal Rowing scene has brought most of our crew together, it exists and grows on a strong community spirit, we all fell in love rowing and competing on the water, we now want to take this to the next level. This passion and the need to shine light on those living with the reality of Rett Syndrome, our challenge will last a few weeks, this debilitating condition lasts a lifetime – we are trying to cling on to an athletic youth that has been, but Rett robs those with the condition from ever having. One of the most exciting opportunities is the support that we will be able to give to our charity – Reverse Rett. The impacts of Rett Syndrome are particularly known to one of our crew members whose daughter suffers from the condition. Ross is already an ambassador for the charity and is delighted that we can support the charity’s work in funding medical research projects to ultimately find a cure for this neurological condition.