The four young men start the challenge of a lifetime tomorrow when they leave the UK to prepare for the Woodvale Challenge Atlantic rowing race.
Four young men start the challenge of a lifetime tomorrow when they leave the UK to prepare for the Woodvale Challenge Atlantic 2011 rowing race.
The rowers set off from the Canary Islands on 4th December but will have three weeks making final preparations to their boat and fitness.
The team is aiming to raise £150,000 for Spinal Research and become the record holders for the youngest crew and first set of twins to row the 3000 miles.
Tooting-born Adam Woolley, 23, is the oldest member rowing alongside Greg Symondson, 22, and twins Ross and Hugo Turner, 23.
“Our boat is going to be the most advanced ocean rowing boat there’s ever been so we’re really excited,” said Adam.
The boat is built of carbon fibre making it eight times stronger than plywood or fibre glass boats.
The team became friends as industrial engineering students at Loughborough University.
Adam said: “The twins played rugby until they had broken themselves in so many different ways that they couldn’t anymore so Hugo experimented with rowing at uni.”
Hugo damaged his neck on holiday in Cornwall aged 17 and was hospitalised for six months and Spinal Research who lent support were an obvious choice of charity for fund raising.
The team will row in pairs, each rowing for two hours for 12 hours every day.
In addition to weights and aerobic training the rowers have had to eat lots to prepare because during the race each is expected to lose about three stone.
“We have to cram quite a disgusting amount of food in. I’ve put on about 10 kilos,” said Adam.
Previous races have been ended by everything from shark attacks, to hull failures and malnutrition but the team are staying positive.
“We’ve thought about Christmas quite a lot. We will stop rowing for a short break of about three or four hours which will be an unusual change and perhaps a bottle of scotch to celebrate in style,” said Adam.
Follow their journey on Twitter @theatlantic4 or support the team and Spinal Research at www.justgiving.com/theatlantic4
