2024 Race Entrants

I’m Kyle, a 20-something Yorkshireman, who has gradually migrated south and currently lives in Salisbury, Wiltshire. As you may have guessed already, I’m a red-head. Most people would say ginger but I’d say I’m more African Sunset or even OARburn. Most red-heads are known to be; feisty, pale, possess copious freckles, often found in a shaded area and – importantly – extremely headstrong. In 2020 – during the first national COVID-19 lockdown – Grandad Michael was admitted to Leeds General Infirmary where he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Malignant Melanoma. The cancer had become metastasis meaning it had grown beyond the original tumour location and regional lymph nodes and spread to his lungs and brain. Not more than 2 weeks later, Grandad Michael tragically lost his fight with Melanoma and succumbed to cancer. Did you know that us red-heads make up between 1-2% of the global population? Did you also know that we have differences in our genetic make-up in the form of a variant in the Melanocortin-1 Receptor (MC1R)? This genetic difference – as well as provides us with our distinctive red-head characteristics – means we are 10x times greater risk of developing skin cancer than our non-red head friends. Melanoma is a very serious and common form of skin cancer which has the ability to spread to the body’s vital organs rapidly if not detected at an early stage. Staggeringly around 15,400 new cases of Melanoma are diagnosed every year in the UK – with cases expected to rise 7% by 2035 – of which 51% of diagnosis are given to men. Whilst with early detection, professional support and treatment, 91% of Melanoma patients survive their disease for 5 or more years, there are still around 2,300 Melanoma deaths in the UK each year.

I’m a teacher, and I want to show my students (and anyone else) that with hard work and determination anything is possible. Even something as ridiculous as rowing across the Atlantic Ocean!

Since I was a child I always wanted to be a captain and sail the seas. Well, at least up to the time at which my mother tried to explain to me that I had to have a high school graduation and had to study to get a ship master´s certificate.

However this was not possible as already one of my brothers was studying and we were not able to afford another student (we were six children and my father had a very low income). After some time I returned to my mother beaming with joy and I told her proudly: “ If I cannot be a captain I will be a seaman!”

I made my dream come true in that extent that I served for four years in the German Navy and sailed as crew member on a restored training sailing ship named “Roald Amundsen” for some years.

For several years I have been enthusiastic about kayaking.

During my gym teacher training I also started to run and since then I mastered some marathons.

As a “personal fitness trainer” I will be able to prepare myself well for the physical challenges.

Being a sport psychologist will surely be very helpful during this long trip.

As a passionate surfer, rower and sailor it´s My Way to give back to this beautiful life sustaining Energy.

I don’t really like to row the ocean. It´s 5000km of rowing, open waters, challenging times. But as I was visiting La Gomera in early 2021 and then Sailing with The Blue Pearl, it was more like a Call that came from the deep. As I always try to trust and follow my Soul Journey I had no way to say no, but Yes. A couple of days later I arrived in Fuerteventura and started to seek discomfort and got activ. I had a Call with the Event Manager and got my Spot for 24. Time for a new Adventure 🙂

Having followed the race for a number of years, I’m very excited to be taking part in 2024 and learn about various aspects of ocean rowing. I have always loved the outdoors, new adventures and trying different challenges, whether it’s mountaineering, rock climbing, kayaking or hiking. Ocean rowing however is somewhat new to me and I’ll figuratively and literally be throwing myself in the deep end preparing for this challenge.

 By taking part I firstly hope to make a positive impact on diversity in adventure sport and rowing. Lack of diversity in outdoor activities has always been apparent to me and while there are various reasons for this, I hope to offer some form of representation to women and people of colour.

In completing this challenge, I would become the first woman of colour to row solo across an ocean and I hope by participating that one day women and people of colour in adventure sport isn’t something distinctive, but the norm.

Through this challenge, I’ll be fundraising for two charities both of personal importance to me: the Mental Health Foundation and Deenabandhu Trust.Despite growing rates of mental illness globally, it is still unfairly stigmatised in a way physical illness is not and the MHF works to prevent mental ill health through community led projects as well as trying to change negative perceptions surrounding mental health.

Deenabandhu Trust is a non-profit in southern India founded by my uncle which provides a children’s home and school for orphaned and impoverished children, which I’ve been lucky enough to be part of for many years. As a result of their scholarship programme, children from Deenabandhu have gone on to become architects, nurses, engineers and social workers, who would otherwise have very few options in life, open to poverty and exploitation.

 Please see my website for more details and contact information. I look forward to sharing my journey with you!

Why am doing this?

I’ll be 70 years old when I undertake the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge in 2024. I’ve always had the ambition to compete in it for the last 10 years or so but work mainly got in the way. I like a challenge and entered the Bristish Indoor Rowing Championships a few years ago. I then entered a boxing ring at the age of 56 to fight for charity against a much younger guy, I made a draw and retired undefeated! Since retiring I discovered the world of walking football which led me on a new journey that has resulted in me captaining my country for the ENGLAND WALKING FOOTBALL COMMUNITY (EWFC) over 60’s team.

The Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge will be my ultimate challenge. I’ll be raising money for my chosen charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK. and I have good reasons to. My eldest daughter Nina suffered bravely for many years with Ulcerative Colitis and a few years ago had an operation to remove her large bowel (Ileostomy).  She’s a lot better now, but still has to undergo regular checks. My best friend of nearly 60 years contracted Colitis and nearly died. Following a number of serious operations, he’s recovering well thankfully.

So the journey begins for me. It’s a journey that I know at my age will throw up many challenges just to get to the start line, but I’m ready to attack those challenges head on! I want no regrets, life is too short.

Why you would like to do the row?:

“I am continually amazed by the resilience of humans when placed in situations where they must rise to the occasion. I hope that through this adventure I can inspire young women (or anyone) that the unthinkable, is always possible! Our true potential is endless. This is the ultimate challenge for me, and what better way to do it than by raising money and bringing awareness to Mental Health at the same time.

PS. I have absolutely no ocean rowing experience. Throwing myself in the deep end.. literally, ha.”

Why you would like to do the row?:

I’ve visited some mountains, some deserts, some cold siberian winters, some rainy monsoon and some burning summer.
I went to Space… on Earth; testing my limits during some European Space Agency experiment.
I still have to feel the sea, to cross it, to get some waves on my face. So why not to cross the Atlantic? Child, I was dreaming while listening to stories from Gerard d’Aboville, Maud Fontenoy or Alain Bombard. For 20 years, I have been waiting for rowing an Ocean! Today it is time.

With Atlantic 4800, I am not looking to break a record. I will race against myself, for the Oceans and for Science.
For the Oceans, as we all need to protect and understand them, if we want that free space not to shrink away. That is why I will row for 2 charities, Polar Pod and 1 Ocean, both aiming to study the Oceans and raise awareness through knowledge, putting the exploration at the service of the protection of the Oceans.

1 Ocean: together with the UNESCO, aims to explore the unexplored, document explorations and above all, transmit knowledge of the ocean
Polar Pod: Driven by the circumpolar current, like a satellite around Antarctica, Polar POD will allow the acquisition of data and long-term observations of the Southern Ocean, a major player in the climate and marine biodiversity reserve but still widely unknown.

In parallel to these charities, I will myself be a subject of experiments linked to the European Space Agency: alone floating on an empty Space, living on a closed isolated vessel with minimum comfort and sparse connection to the ground, eating dried rations and adapting the sleep rhythm to the Ocean life. Crossing an ocean on a rowing boat is somewhat the closest on Earth to living in Space.

I have always relished challenges and constantly pushing the physical and mental barriers I place on myself. The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge will be the ultimate test of this.

I’m undertaking this challenge in aid of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society who for over 75 years have provided critical care and compassion for people with Multiple Sclerosis.
Multiple Sclerosis is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord due to degeneration of the nerve myelin (or, protective ‘coating’), resulting in unpredictable symptoms including fatigue, paralysis, and numbness.

In completing this challenge, I aim to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Societies vision of ‘A World Free of Multiple Sclerosis’.

Cheers, Tom

Why do this row? Middle age should be anything but beige! As a single, post-menopausal mum with my youngest daughter on the cusp of leaving home, I could choose this mum-moment to sit on the sofa with a bottle of red and binge-watch programmes on the telly!
But that’s not me. I don’t want to slow down, stop and settle but do something ‘Mumentous’ with my life instead. By the time the race starts, I’ll be 59 and I want to learn something new and challenge myself to strive for more than I thought I’d ever do. I also want to prove that even people like me can achieve a new Guinness World Record while they are at it! In the process, I’d like to inspire others, especially fellow pre and post-menopausal ’empty-nesters’ to take on challenges they may have considered impossible or didn’t previously feel they had the time and energy for. The time is now and this is our moment.
I truly believe it’s never too late and that’s what this TWAC 2024 ‘Mumentous’ Atlantic row is all about for me.

Rowing across an ocean is the biggest, wildest and scariest adventure I can imagine. Being on my own for such a long time and getting out of the comfort zone is something I am looking forward to.

And I choose Primavera as my charity, because they help children in need by offering a way out of the poverty cycle.
Primavera provides medical care, supports educational and vocational activities to enable the children an independent living in the long term.

Nicky and Bob are rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to go always a little further; to raise money for charity; and to stay forever young!

Astrid (54) participated in TWAC2020. As she was rowing in the middle of the ocean, she thought “this is so fantastic, that’s what I have to do with my brother!” Meanwhile, following his sister on her journey via social media, Eric (56), who is an endurance athlete, came up with almost the same idea.The decision was made quickly. Together they will participate in TWAC2024 as “Janse en Janse”.

Even when they were little, they had little adventures together. Pack your backpacks, make sandwiches and go. How cool to embark on such a great adventure together now that they are in their fifties: crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a small rowing boat.

Coming Soon!

Karl and Ed have been good friends for over 11 years, having met through having children in the same school. Ed is a former PADI Master Scuba diving trainer and now concentrates his sporting pursuits on road cycling, running and football coaching. Karl is a keen rower, runner, gym goer and footballer. Both are members of Maidenhead Rowing Club and also still play football together at 5-a-side each week alongside a group of friends that are also old enough to know better!

It was whilst watching a family member row the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge during the 2020 race that the bug, very unexpectedly, bit Karl. It didn’t take too long to convince Ed of the epic nature of the challenge and team ‘2Stroke’ was born.

The requirements to take on the Atlantic Challenge are massive. Determination, fitness, mental strength, self-belief and a touch of madness. Whilst we both have a keen sense of adventure, we were novice rowers before signing up to this challenge. We are now keen members of our local rowing club but we have both been ‘land rowers’ with gym memberships for many years. We also both thrive on being told that we can’t (or shouldn’t!) do something and would love to show our children that you can do anything you put your mind to. The wives are going to be harder to convince!

Having recently conquered Kilimanjaro the introduction to this race came at a time we were looking for something to get our teeth into. Although over 2 years away, this row already has a grip on us and we look forward to preparing ourselves in the best way possible, learning new skills and making memories that will last a lifetime. 

We are supporting two charities with our fundraising, both of which have close family relevance. Our first charity is Dementia UK. The Alzheimer’s Society reports there are over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. This is an awful condition, robbing families of loved ones often years before their physical bodies deteriorate. Karl having a family member suffering from this disease makes us only more determined to raise funds and increase awareness.

Our second charity of choice is Prostate Cancer UK. Ed has family that have battled Prostate Cancer and has experienced the devastating effects on family life. There are around 11,900 prostate cancer deaths in the UK every year, that’s 32 every day. In males in the UK, prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death. We were able to raise £8000 during our Kilimanjaro trip to support their amazing work and we will be looking to do all we can to raise funds and awareness for them during our row. 

First love lasts forever!

Carla lost her heart on a bike tour through the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe. Katrin’s first love was the thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. The travel fever shaped the two teammates and demanded a continuation: Carla rowed across the Atlantic in a team of four as part of the TWAC in 2019, and Katrin followed the challenge from home.
These experiences have reawakened the spirit of adventure in both of them and allowed them to dream again – and dreams are here to be fulfilled!

There are 3,000 miles across the Atlantic and just as many reasons not to row it! But as Ian Couch, Head Safety Officer of the TWAC, puts it perfectly in two sentences: “There is something very special about being out in the ocean. It’s not about rowing 3’000 miles”.

We are aware that physical and mental exhaustion, impressive forces of nature and great challenges await us every day. But hey: “Everything is beautiful – everything hurts!” We want to be enchanted by the simplicity, freedom and the awareness of holding an everlasting gift in our hands. Because we agree on one thing: Emotionally, the really hard part only begins after entering the harbour in Antigua.

So here we are: Ocean, let’s be part of your magic!

It all started with the book Four mums in a boat: Friends who rowed 3000 miles, broke a world record and learned a lot about life along the way by Benaddi, Butters, Davies & Doeg.

Claudia read this book in 2019 and after finishing it she was immediately sure that one day she would take part in the race too. The dream was born. The only question was: alone or in a team?

The only one who would be considered as a partner was Ernst, so there were many talks about the TWAC and the participation. In the end, the choice was clear: Claudia would start – together with Ernst; as a team of 2. But when?

Nikki from Atlantic Campaigns should remedy this. And so, after some email correspondence with her, the start date was found: 2024! The forms were filled out and signed, the first entry fee paid and the confirmation came from Nikki: 2024 – you’re in!

The joy was and still is huge. Why? This challenge is in complete contrast to the sporting activities that we usually do. Living in southern Bavaria, we spend a lot of time in the mountains. Longer, higher and more difficult is not uncommon for us. We have grown together as a team and complement each other very well. So we already know the mountains and the challenges they entail. But the sea? This is something completely different and unknown to us. A new great adventure and a dream that will come true now. Why not? Dreams set goals and goals can be achieved.

Bio is on its way

Friendship, a thriving curiosity, a certain amount of insanity, love for people, heart for the ocean, physical empowerment and the urge for adventure brought us together.

We decided to combine all those elements into one big adventure and strive to help as many people as possible to reach a better healthcare and help to make the ocean healthy again.

A healthy ocean can prevent natural disasters, thus helping people – often without access to medical care – who have been affected by climate change. With these values in mind we will row our assess off and nail these 5000 km across the Atlantic Ocean.

Margreet is a horse-, camel surgeon and after setting up a horse clinic in Colombia, she participated in the Mongol derby. 1000km on wild horses through the Mongolian steppes. Ended up third and immediately thinking about her next adventure.
The idea of participating in the toughest row on earth was in her mind for several years. For 2 years she has been looking for a crew as nuts as her and of course she found them. With 3 vets on the board the charity could no other be then NOMV, not one more vet. This organization helps vets with depression and suicidal thoughts. The veterinarians are in the top 3 of all professions who commit  suicidal attempts. It’s the team’s duty to raise awareness for the good work of this foundation.

 For more information about us or our charity, we welcome you to visit our website

The world’s toughest row, covering 3000 nautical miles from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to English Harbour, Antigua.

In December 2024, we will embark on a journey of a lifetime, pushing the boundaries of human endurance and discovering our personal limits.

Undertaking this row will take courage, wisdom and resilience beyond anything we’ve encountered before. However, we are driven by a belief that together we can do more than what we can do alone. Our approach to the row and everything that encompasses it, represents positivity, overcoming adversity and approaching life on step at a time.

This opportunity of a lifetime has been presented to us slightly differently as one part of the pair will be donating a kidney in the run up to the race.
Our row will also serve as a platform to shine a light on regeneration of life. Specifically, to support the charity kidney Wales and the Wales air ambulance. We will also raise awareness for all the incredible work being done by the Elkhorn Marine Conservancy regenerating essential reef life in Antigua.

Why take on such a mammoth task? In the words of Kurt Hahn – “We are all better than we know, if only we can be brought to realise this, we may never be prepared to settle for anything less”.

We hope our journey will illustrate how obstacles which seem unimaginable can be overcome and great things can be achieved when resilience, perseverance and commitment are applied. These are the essential elements that will help us reach our goal and see us successfully row into English harbour, Antigua W.I

Coming Soon!

Team parOARmedics are three student paramedics currently in their third year at the University of Bradford. We combine a special blend of loving a challenge, being mad enough to try and put together a campaign while studying and working in the prehospital environment, and a desire to do some good at the same time. Oddly enough we all also happen to enjoy the odd (frequent) wee dram.

The idea came to Ken whilst trawling through the web looking for an ocean bound adventure to pursue. As soon as Ken saw the TWAC he knew he had to do it. As with many before him he just needed to find someone who could be convinced rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic was indeed a grand adventure. Cue Tom and Ethan, one look at the race video and a quick handshake in the skills lab and a team was born and an adventure launched.

We are looking forward to sharing our adventure with you, so keep checking in on us as we launch our campaign and follow us on social media and be a part of our adventure.

Our crew of three is from the gig rowing community in Cornwall and former members of the Royal Navy.  We have all lived and worked in West Cornwall, and all three of us continue to have strong ties to the County.   We are very pleased to work with the Cornish charity Invictus Trust, in supporting adolescent mental health in Cornwall.   Through the epic Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge we can educate, inform and raise funds for the Invictus Trust, and are therefore proud to call our boat Invictus Atlantic.

Luke Morgan:
Ex Royal Navy Helicopter Pilot with a love of all things sport, travel, festivals and adventure.  The Atlantic Rowing Challenge has been talked about for a while and it is now time to tackle it.  I can’t imagine a better group to go on this journey with.  Our chosen charity, Invictus Trust, is very close to my heart in dealing with adolescent mental health issues.  Rowing in support of this amazing charity and the incredible work they do is all the motivation I need to complete the challenge.
Although I live in Norfolk, I work all round the country as Helicopter Instructor / Examiner mainly in the Air Ambulance sector.  I have a deep affiliation with Cornwall having lived and worked there for 12 years; it is where I met and formed a truly lifelong friendship with Jim and Paul.  I have a deep love of the water and am looking forward to the peace and tranquillity of propelling myself across it again (well maybe not that peaceful and tranquil in mid Atlantic – we will see!).  I love having a goal to achieve so here we go.

Paul Hayes:
I am a former Royal Marine Commando and now a teacher and school leader. Married with three children, I have lived in Cornwall for the last 30 years.  I have always been physically active, playing rugby, hill walking, sailing, surfing and kayaking.
Teaching and living in the South West has made me acutely aware of the challenges facing young people with mental health issues and the stretch on resources to support them. Invictus Trust, our chosen charity, have been leaders in making a difference to the lives and futures of young people in Cornwall and the challenge of rowing the Atlantic on their behalf will be a privilege and an inspiration.

James Brittain-Long:
I’m a husband, father of three, businessman, gig rower, rugby and music lover.   Never happier than when at the Glastonbury Festival with family and friends, or rowing in the sea around Cornwall with the Helford River Gig Club.   The Atlantic Challenge has been long discussed amongst the three of us, but the start in December 2024 now seems ominously close!

I live with my family in West Cornwall, close to the Helford River.   Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has given so much to our family and I’m proud to give a little back by raising awareness and money for our chosen charity Invictus Trust, who support adolescent mental health in Cornwall.

The aim of Invictus Trust is to fund quick access to counselling for any young person in Cornwall experiencing mental health difficulties.   With the funds raised by the Atlantic Challenge,  Invictus Trust will launch a stand alone counselling fund to support young people in Cornwall, struggling with their mental health.   This will be a truly ground breaking legacy from this challenge, providing and funding direct support for young people.

The Holland Ocean Team (‘HOT’) is preparing for the adventure of a lifetime. Crossing an ocean is already very special, but doing this with only oars and human power to propel the boat is absolutely amazing. The team members look forward to the challenge, being part of the rowing community that goes tot he extremes. The three members are different in age, experience and height (Rutger is 6 foot 10/2 meter 7!) but they are on the same wavelength when it comes to endurance and competition.

Rutger: I’m ready for a new adventure and the biggest mental and physical challenge yet.

Matthijs: Taking up a challenge has become a way of life. Enjoy the utmost of it and celebrate the possibilities of life together. 

Ron: As a former mariner I want to be reunited with the enormous seas and oceans on our planet

Supporting the foundation ALS Netherlands will be a great goal. Especcially for Ron, who has lost his sister in law to this awfull disease. But the other teammembers will do their best collecting donations to make new research and treatment possible just as well.

We are Royal Navy Submariners; having taken part in the 2019 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge we found our culture as submariners really harmonised with the extreme environment of “the World’s Toughest Row”, whether it was knowing everything there is to know about our boat, looking out for our crew mates, managing watch systems all while contending with sleep deprivation and dealing with the emotions of leaving our loved ones. Fortunately, one of the greatest strengths of the Submariner is being able to maintain a sense of humour in some of the very worst conditions. This humour really is a cornerstone to our ethos; when the sea going vessel you choose to call home for upwards of 3 months at a time chooses to sink, remaining positive and being able to laugh really is essential. HMS Oardacious are back to showcase our professionalism and adaptability as Submariners, pushing ourselves both physically and mentally. Our bodies and minds will again be tempered by the sheer vastness of the Atlantic Ocean; Neptune will again throw his fury upon our little craft and he will be met by Submariners, laughing back at him! Having previously fundraised over £100,000 in support of Mental Health initiatives, we continue to build on our legacy working with our service charity RNRMC, to provide Mental Health and Wellbeing support to our community: serving submariners, veterans and their families through life. Heritage and remembrance are also significant parts of our ethos, recognising all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country; we are therefore proud to also be supporting the Submariner Memorial Appeal to create a fitting memorial to submariners who lost their lives in the service and to the sacrifice of their families.

Our original motivation was wanting to complete an expedition which would well and truly push our physical and mental boundaries in a way they had not been tested before. However, the hectic nature of student life meant the row got pushed down our list of priorities. That was until a pair of tragic incidents in recent years – two friends unexpectedly took their own lives. This provided the impetus to seriously commit to the row and to raise money for MIND. The desire to honour their memory will be with us for every oar stroke across the Atlantic. It is also worth noting sibling rivalry as an important motivation behind the row! From 2017 to 2018, two school friends, Joe and Ross, tragically and unexpectedly took their own lives. Both possessed enormous, vivacious personalities which still burn brightly in the lives of their families and friends. Joe and Ross were both intelligent, confident, outgoing, devilishly good looking, and surrounded by loyal and loving friends. Nevertheless, they were afflicted by the horrific problem of mental health issues. Their experiences highlight the fact that even lives filled with love, laughter and success are not safe. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for under-35s in the UK and it is estimated that 1 in 4 people experience a mental health issue every year. We are proud to do our little bit to help fight mental health problems by completing this row. The desire to honour the memories of Joe and Ross will be with us for every oar stroke across the Atlantic Ocean. We are thrilled to have both of their families supporting our fundraising efforts for MIND.

I think we hit the jackpot when we all met up with each other and kind of knew that from the off that we would get on well, bringing in our individual strengths, personalities and characters.

We came together through TWAC and knew, that with very different backgrounds and professions we all had one thing in common. This race. This adventure.

John’s daughter Yasmin has Lyme Disease and this is our major charity that we will have in mind when we are in our highs and lows of our weeks on the high seas, drawing inspiration from those who we can directly help through our fundraising.

Niall and Sam have had the adventure bug for a while, but for John he’s thrown himself into the (very) deep end to raise such a huge awareness of Lyme disease. This is his first foray into adventure unknown, but one that we will all experience together as a strong and confident team.

We are all super excited to be part of this whole campaign and cannot wait for our race start in 2024.

It started, as many of these things do, as a bit of a chat down the pub six or seven years ago. Now we have thrown our hats over the wall, paid the deposit and are fully committed to the whole challenge. We are all excited about the experiences that lay ahead. Raising funds, raising awareness of key environmental issues and the possibility of building a four man boat, to specification, from recycled materials. Dan, who is passionate about the idea of Circularity and making full use of waste materials, set up his company, Circular&Co in his garden shed some eighteen years ago and will be leading the design process. By using recycled materials we hope to inspire and educate everyone about Circular Design and why we must all welcome circularity into our everyday lives. Jason is a physiotherapist and passionate about medical and mental health. Both of these will very much be tested during the crossing and many lessons learned. He will also be looking after our ageing bodies and helping older athletes, who may want to tune in, learn to stay fit. Jon and Steve are both teachers and are looking forward to trying to deliver all sorts of lessons, if technology allows. In addition we will be working with Plymouth University running various tests and gathering data during the crossing. We all hope to be able to deliver some inspiring and memorable lessons, from the middle of the Atlantic on a whole range of topics focusing on the theme “We’re Changing Tomorrow Together.”

We, the Atlantik Breakers, are all very sporty and asked ourselves what is the bigger challenge besides the Marathon … Then we found out about this project (crossing the Atlantic with a rowboat.) We knew we were going to be our new adventure be.

We’re rowing an ocean to help inspire young people within our local community to pursue a life of adventure. We’re aiming to visit upwards of 50 schools, reaching close to 37,500 young people, whilst also carry 3000 Pixels provided by our local community across the ocean with us.

Each rower has selected a specific charity to represent during the course of the row. Dafydd – British Heart Foundation, Lewis – Tag Rugby Trust
and Alan and Josh – CALM

Our team is taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC) in 2024 to raise awareness of the enriching contribution of the ETS to the Army offer. Made up of four officers from the Educational and Training Services branch of the British Army, we know a thing or two about discipline and getting the best out of people. We’ll need these skills during the challenge.

And our Charities is:

– ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity is the Army’s national charity; here for soldiers, past and present, and their families for life. From helping wounded soldiers to adapt to life after service, to assisting elderly veterans to keep their independence, we’re here for the Army family when they need us. We offer support in six key areas: independent living, elderly care, education and employability, mental fitness, families and housing.

Coming soon!

Oars Of Thunder are four Cornish Pilot Gig Rowers from a small Cornish town called Looe. We all have an absolute love of rowing, the sea and quirky physical and mental challenges.

Each one of us has had a dream sparked by someone who has rowed the Atlantic before and the universe has bought us together (it was Kim actually!) to take on this challenge ourselves. Now it is our turn to inspire ordinary people like us to take on and experience extraordinary challenges like this.

It’s going to be a ball and we are looking forward to sharing all of our experiences along the way, the good, bad, beautiful and ugly.

We have chosen the RNLI as our charity. With Nathaniel having served on the lifeboat crew for over 10 years and all of us having an attachment to the sea, we all respect the unforgiving forces of Mother Nature and the importance of our lifeboat service.

Team Attack The Day is comprised of four adventerous guys, with a background in endurance events, the military and rowing.

We’re always out to challenge and push ourselves, to test the limits of our ability and explore new adventures. As with all good ideas, rowing the atlantic orginated after a few pints at the local pub. Having followed TWAC for a number of years, post lockdown life presented team Attack The Day with the perfect opportunity to embark on this challenge of a lifetime.

Wish us luck!

By crossing the Atlantic 100% vegan we put out an important statement. Through our platform in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, we will raise financial support and awareness for 3 organizations on the frontline of fighting for sustainable climate protection.

We are all friends who are born in Plymouth and have a close relationship with the sea.  Individually we would like to challenge ourselves, but sharing that experience between us is important. Our wives and children think we are mad, we may be!

Cancer has affected one of our crew and is a cause we would like to support through helping fund the Mustard tree cancer support unit. One of our crew has set up a charity centered around rugby values and the great work clubs and coaches do especially with young children.  It is called the Star Scheme.

Force Atlantic are back! This time we are the Army’s first all-female team to row the Atlantic and any ocean. We are a team of 12 women, covering seven cap badges, both officers and soldiers, regular and reserve. Although the boat only has four seats, we have a full team supporting us through the campaign, comprising of six rowers and six support team members.

Why we are doing this:

We want to PROMOTE women, both in and out of the military, and tell our stories.

We want to INSPIRE others, through humility, humour and inclusivity, to believe that anything really is possible.

We want to BELONG to something that is bigger than ourselves, to a community of strong, likeminded women.

The forty days or so we will spend at sea will only make up a small part of our journey. Once we land, we will continue to encourage our community to push beyond the perceived possible.

As a team of middle aged mums we want to inspire women everywhere to dream big and believe that anything is possible….even rowing an ocean. Between us we have sailed, rowed and fought (literally) to reach this point and we are so excited to take on this challenge. The charities we are supporting are close to our hearts and between us we have personal and family experience that will power us across the ocean knowing that we are raising money for these amazing causes – Rob Burrows MND Centre- Leeds Hospitals Charity ,Phoenix Heroes CIC ,Cancer Awareness Trust

We are 1 soldier veteran and 3 police veterans in the boat. All with PTSD injuries from the job serving our country. We are crossing the Atlantic Ocean because we want to challenge our limits and come home as a stronger and better person for our selfs and especially for our families and nearest friends.

We also want to focus on our sisters and Brothers in blue. We want tell and show that Thin Blue Line Denmark takes care of the injuried Danish police officers. We also hope to raise money for Thin Blue Line Denmark, so they can help those, who needs help.

// Together we stand stronger//

We are a group of people who are always looking for the next big challenge, and collectively we agree it doesn’t get much bigger than this!  Most importantly though, we want to help as many people as possible by raising awareness and funds for our chosen charities.

We are all privileged in that we are healthy enough both physically and mentally to complete the row.  We are rowing for mental health charities, and some of the people they support don’t have the same privilige we have, and we all have very personal reasons why we want to help and raise awareness of these amazing charities.