Monday 16 January 2012

Man breaks 'toughest' Atlantic solo rowing record


A 26-year-old man from Surrey has broken the record for the fastest solo Atlantic crossing.
Andrew Brown took 40 days to row 2,936 miles from Tenerife to Barbados in a 19ft (5.7m) boat.
He was taking part in the Atlantic Challenge, billed as the world's toughest rowing race, and was raising money for two UK children's charities.
Andrew Brown says it feels amazing to have finished the challenge and to have broken a record at the same time.
"I don't think the feeling has quite sunk in yet," he admitted.
"I thought perhaps the record was on from about the 15th day onwards if the conditions carried on.
"Even though I've had it in mind for such a long time, now it's actually happened I can't really believe it."
Emmanuel Coindre from France had held the record for the fastest solo Atlantic crossing since 2004.
Organisers say more people have travelled to space than have rowed across the Atlantic.
Power problems
Andrew Brown, who works in the toy industry, was narrowly beaten in the race by a pairs team.
Toby Iles and Nick Moore arrived in Port St Charles, Barbados, around half an hour before Brown.
They missed out on breaking the course record for a pair.

Other contestants were disqualified after calling for help - the rules of the race ban external assistance.
Seventeen crews started the race on 5 December but eight have pulled out because of problems including poor weather and sea-sickness.
Two rowers, Tom Fancett and Tom Sauer, were rescued by a cruise ship when their boat capsized after being hit by a massive wave before Christmas.
Another team that includes four veterans who lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan, Row2Recovery, has had to take on emergency water supplies and also has a broken rudder.
Andrew Brown admits he had his own issues to contend with on the crossing including a serious power problem.
"Everything on the boat was powered by solar panels and for the first two weeks we didn't have much sunshine," he said.
"I became really tight on electricity, which I needed to make water.
"I was having to be really careful about how much I drank, which, when you're doing that much exercise isn't what you're wanting to be doing."
As well as power problems including a battery which needed to be fixed and regular storms, the 26-year-old also had to contend with salt rash, blisters and cramps.
His first meal on arriving in Barbados was a burger and chips.
Andrew Brown says he will return to the UK next Monday (23 January) after recovering in Barbados with his girlfriend.

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