Yorkshire Dales rowers bid for Atlantic world record (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Yorkshire Dales rowers bid for Atlantic world record
11:52am Tuesday 18th August 2009 in Giggleswick news
SETTING SAIL: From left, Luke Grose and Alex Macdonald,
TWO Dales rowers are taking on the Atlantic in a bid to bring home a new world record.
Former Giggleswick School students Alex Macdonald and Luke Grose, both 23, will set out to challenge the current 40-day record for the Trans-Atlantic rowing race in December.
The pair have wanted to take the ‘ultimate rowing test’ since being inspired by the experiences of their teacher Mark Mortimer, who in 2004 was the first man to row solo across the Atlantic.
Since leaving Giggleswick in 2004 they have rowed for their respective universities – Alex for Lincoln and Luke for Nottingham – as well as under-taking various endurance events in preparation.
They have also secured substantial backing for their record bid from the car retailer JCT600.
The five-figure deal, which will cover the cost of race entry fees as well as travel and transport, has enabled them to realise their five-year dream.
Their 23ft handmade wooden rowing boat, JCT600 Yorkshire Challenger, has been built especially for the race and will be one of 35 identical boats to line up at the start on the island of La Gomera, near Tenerife, on December 6.
The race will continue through Christmas and into the new year and the pair will take two-hour shifts rowing the boat while the other sleeps in the small cabin.
Mr Macdonald, a computing graduate, said: “We really want to crack the record of 40 days and five hours set by the Kiwi team of Fitzgerald and Biggar in 2003.
“We needed to find partners to help us reach the starting line with the right preparation, support and equipment to make us competitive.”
Mr Grose, who works for the Royal Bank of Scotland, added: “With the support of Yorkshire business people we now have a great chance to show the world what we can do and we are upping the ante with training, trying to ensure we peak at the end of the year. “
