Atlantic Challenge Britons become youngest pair to row across ocean

Updated

Two British students have broken the record for the youngest pair to row across an ocean.

Jack Galsworthy, from Truro in Cornwall, and Freddie Wright, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, took 47 days, 14 hours and 46 minutes to complete the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, rowing their names into the record books in the process.

The 21-year-olds, racing as team Atlantic Castaways, set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on December 20, arriving into English Harbour in Antigua - a distance of some 3,000 miles - in the early hours of Saturday (GMT).

Skipper Wright said: "We've had such an amazing time. We're proud of the record, but it wasn't what we set out to do - it's really just a bonus on top of what has been an awesome experience.

"We would definitely do this again."

Atlantic Castaways took on the arduous challenge - dubbed the world's toughest rowing race - to raise money for the Brain Research Trust. They had raised around £40,000 by the time of their arrival in the Caribbean.

The team rowed in shifts of two hours on and two hours off, battling tropical storms, 40ft waves, sleep deprivation, seasickness and excruciating body sores. As well as the harsh conditions, the 2015/16 fleet of 26 teams also faced the first tropical storm to form on the crossing in January since 1978.

Wright is currently reading mechanical engineering at Bristol University, while Galsworthy is an aspiring medic studying bio-medical sciences at University College London.

The team came in ten days after overall winners, the foursome Ocean Reunion, who set a new race record.

They were followed three days later by Row Like A Girl, who became the fastest women's team to complete the challenge.

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