Interview by Ginny Farrell
Yorkie Lomas
Whether he’s breaking ocean rowing records, rescuing a kayaker in heavy seas or coaching the next generation of Dartmouth rowers, Iain ‘Yorkie’ Lomas has never been one to choose the easy option. Writer Ginny Farrell discovered what motivates the endurance adventurer whose remarkable achievements are matched only by his quiet commitment to giving back to the town he’s called home for more than 35 years.
F
rom becoming part of the first four-man crew to row the Atlantic Ocean to volunteering
with Dartmouth RNLI and inspiring young athletes at Dartmouth Amateur Rowing Club, Yorkie’s story is one of resilience, teamwork and an enduring belief that life’s greatest rewards oſten lie just beyond your comfort zone. If you’ve spent any time around
Dartmouth’s waterfront over the past three decades, chances are you’ve noticed Yorkie. He was probably wearing RNLI kit, climbing into a rowing boat or quietly getting on with another volunteer role that helps keep the town ticking over. Yorkie isn’t someone who seeks
the limelight. He’s modest, quick to laugh and happier talking about his teammates than his own achievements. Yet those achievements are
extraordinary. He has rowed the Atlantic Ocean, run the equivalent of six marathons across the Kalahari Desert, cycled from John O’Groats to Land’s End while climbing the
Tree Peaks and kayaking Britain’s three longest lakes, paddled 1,000 miles through the Canadian wilderness and spent nearly 20 years volunteering with Dartmouth RNLI.
“ I thought I’d stay another summer... and another one. Before I knew it I’d never left.”
Not bad for a Yorkshireman who
only intended to stay in Dartmouth for a couple of summers. “I was going to leave,” he laughs.
“I got a job on a building site while I was trying to get into the ambu- lance service. Ten I thought I’d stay another summer... and another one. Before I knew it I’d never leſt.” Born in Hebden Bridge, West
Yorkshire, Yorkie grew up immersed in the county’s famous brass band
tradition. He started playing trom- bone at just five years old, later join- ing the Royal Marine Band Service in 1984 at the age of 16. He played bassoon in the concert band and bass drum with the marching band and travelled widely before being posted to Dartmouth in 1990. Although re- dundancy ended his military career five years later, the town had already worked its way under his skin. It also introduced him to rowing. Yorkie joined Dartmouth Amateur
Rowing Club in 1995 aſter rugby teammates suggested giving it a try during the summer. “I actually enjoyed rowing more
than rugby,” he says. Competitive rowing quickly
became a passion, with victories in West of England championships, but what really appealed was pushing beyond what seemed possible. Tat opportunity arrived in 2004. Ask Yorkie which achievement
means the most and he doesn’t hesitate. “Te Atlantic. It’ll always be the
Atlantic.”
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