The World’s Toughest Row - Atlantic, is a race where crews and individuals brave 3,000 miles of open ocean, unsupported, traveling East to West, from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain, to Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda.

The idea of the Atlantic Challenge race first came to Sir Chay Blyth whilst he was rowing the Atlantic Ocean in 1966 with John Ridgeway. It was a 92-day battle against hurricanes, 15 meter waves, and near-starvation. It is no surprise, then, that more people have been into space or climbed Mount Everest than have rowed the Atlantic.

The normal daily routine whilst at sea is 2 hours on the oars, 2 hours off (to conduct administrative tasks that include navigation, routine maintenance, feeding and sleeping). This routine continues 24/7, and leads to sleep deprivation, extreme fatigue, blisters, salt sores, disorientation and hallucinations.

Those who take up the challenge to row the Atlantic do so to test the limit of their physical and mental strength; to achieve something unthinkable. In taking on this formidable race, I seek not only to challenge myself, but to challenge the perception of age as a limitation. I will be 66 years old when staring the event in December 2025, and I will celebrate my 67th Birthday in January 2026, hopefully in Nelsons Dockyard.

With fair winds and a strong body, I would love to make landfall at Nelsons Dockyard in 41 days. That would be on my Birthday, however, realistically anything around 60 days would be a massive achievement.

Every year remarkable people achieve remarkable things by rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.

No year is the same. Every year, brand new stories are created. From charity funds raised to wildlife seen, to World Records achieved – the facts are constantly updating in our ever evolving sport.

• Each team will row in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes during a race.
• Team Fortitude IV achieved the fastest 24 hours ever with 107.45 nautical miles covered.
• The fastest row across the Atlantic was a four man team The Four Oarsmen who finished in 29 days, 14 hours and 34 minutes
• At its deepest, the Atlantic Ocean is 8.5km / 5.28 miles deep.
• The waves that the rowers experience can measure up to 15m high.
• Each rower is expected to use 800 sheets of toilet paper during their crossing.
• In the 2016 race, solo rower Daryl Farmer arrived in Antigua after 96 days, rowing without a rudder to steer with for nearly 1200miles/40 days.
• The fastest solo across the Atlantic was Mark Slats who completed in 30 days, 7 hours and 49 minutes.
• Rowers burn in excess of 5,000 calories per day.
• The average rower loses around 8kg during a crossing.
• In the 2018 race, solo rower Kelda Wood (Row 2 Raise) was kept company by a whale for nearly 7 days.