A
As one year turned into the next in an instant on the high seas, one team began to pull away from the rest of the pack. And it was Locura Rows the Atlantic, comprising 53-year-old
Mike Burton from Yorkshire and Tom Salt from London, who were to triumph. Weather-worn seafarers who used their experiences competing in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race to steer their vessel – the name for which translates into English to mean ‘insanity’ or ‘madness’ – into Nelson’s Dockyard English Harbour, Burton and Salt sank their teeth into a celebratory burger some 41 days, 2 hours and 38 minutes after leaving the race’s origin. Theirs was to be the first of many riotous
celebrations around the bay – and from then until the final finishers, Atlantic Inspiration, who pulled in on 7 February three weeks later, few on that part of the island would have missed the unmistakable sights and sounds reverberating across the water and rattling through the old colonial buildings that provided such a magnificent backdrop. Indeed, many turned out for each celebration, as friends and family of those onboard each boat guzzled down champagne, bottles of lager and tumblers of local rum as each weary crew pulled their oars through the water for the final few strokes. Steel drums battled with the horns of mighty super yachts, a crescendo of noise, while flares were set off – a marker of achievement and relief, rather than despair and hope that someone would spot a stricken boat. While each arrival was different, several bore
the physical hallmarks of having spent weeks under the punishing sun and torrential rain. Proud parents would remark how their loved ones appeared to have lost weight, while paramours pulled and tugged at the bare, bronzed and toned skin of their adventuring loved ones, hair tangled and dried salt contouring over the cheek bones and forehead. Wide and toothy smiles could be seen even through the beards that adorned almost every crew member possessing a ‘Y’ chromosome. There were strong finishes for Atlantic Polo
– whose foursome comprised Bobby Melville, the 10th Viscount of Melville – and for Trooper Royce’s Row2Recovery outfit the following day. Each clambered back onto land faced with a succession of requests for interviews and photographs, pleas for tales of life on the ocean. For the solo competitors, like Andrew
Abrahams, who finished seventh to take the individual crown, it was a chance to see human beings for the first time in two months. His and other solo competitors’ tasks had been made more difficult by having to drop anchor regularly
so as not to drift off course during whatever few hours of sleep were managed. At least rowing alone meant he was spared the
embarrassment of certain situations – for while brushes with beasts of the sea and the joys of a few precious moments on the satellite telephone home were among the most prominent memories for competitors, it was the ordeal of the almost medieval toilet ritual – usually carried out in the presence of a teammate – which sucked the most gasps from those who had enjoyed the finest Caribbean hospitality awaiting the adventurers’ arrivals. For many, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge was not about the competition, of crossing the finishing line first, of shattering previous records or personal targets. Instead it was simply to tackle the 3,000 miles head-on, and to come through the other side with stories to tell and with significant funds donated to their chosen cause. And few teams in the challenge’s short history
will have had quite the same story to tell as Inspirational Friends. Lauren Moreton and Hannah Lawton, both in their early 20s, spent more than three months at sea with just each other for company in tribute to a friend who died from cervical cancer. The team were forced to retire after
experiencing severe technical difficulties and had to be rescued by a passing container ship, bringing the curtain down on the competition. In doing so, they joined the exhausted ranks of Atlantic Challenge competitors to have braved the world’s toughest rowing race. There were plenty of smiles and curt responses to journalists and friends posing questions about taking part in a future race. Though with 18 months until the next one, it’s only right that the idea was floated.
BOTTOM Row 2 Recovery celebrating in style after their night time arrival into Nelson’s Dockyard
BELOW The Atlantic Polo team crossing the finish line
ROW360 // Issue 001
103
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116