Another Atlantic rowing record started from Gomera

Luke Birch and Jamie Sparks entered the Guinness Book Of Records by becoming the youngest crew ever to row a boat across the Atlantic. The pair are delighted to have not only achieved a world record but also to have raised a record amount for charity. Through donations totalling more than £300,000 they have become the biggest ever individual fundraisers for the Breast Cancer Care support charity.

The British students who are childhood friends are both just 21 years old and didn't know anything about rowing  before they entered the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Rowing Challenge which started from San Sebastian de La Gomera in December. They were at sea rowing for 54 days in what was the ultimate test of their physical and mental endurance, battling 40ft waves in frightening storms. You'll get a taste of their gruelling journey in the video below:

Locura wins world's toughest rowing race

Brits Mike and Tom have beaten 15 international teams to win the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, the world’s toughest rowing race.  They completed the gruelling 3,000 mile race from La Gomera, Canary Islands, to Antigua in 41 days, 2 hours, 38 minutes and 54 seconds.

Rowing in shifts of two hours on, two hours off, 53-year-old Mike and 30-year-old Tom who make up Locura Rows the Atlantic, competed in the arduous race to raise money for the Generous Hearts Foundation. 

The team have battled 40ft waves, tropical storms, seasickness, sleep deprivation, excruciating body sores, a capsize and even an encounter with a six-metre marlin which left a small hole in their boat.

Mike from Yorkshire met Tom, originally from Chichester and now living in London, in 2010 when they competed in the same crew of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race where they finished in fourth place. (Source: www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com)

Locura is a Spanish word meaning madness. Well done and congratulations !
The Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Rowing Challenge's started with delays due to bad weather from San Sebastian de La Gomera in December. Below photos of the preparations here:

One team ready to row

Others were provisioning

… and they're off to be tough

Despite the swell, the storm and all the odds we finally saw the start of the world's toughest rowing race, the Talisker Atlantic Challenge, setting off from La Gomera today. Best of luck to 'ye all, I rowed myself in that lovely swell today, albeit for a different cause. Hats off to the diving cameramen - they're like fish, only more advanced.

World's toughest rowing race starts from La Gomera

The countdown to the start of the world's toughest rowing race is on. In about 10 days' time more than 20 teams will start to row in 40 to 90 days from La Gomera to Antigua. The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge will have teams from all over the world competing unaided for the fastest crossing of the more than 3000 miles distance. The teams have arrived on La Gomera and were welcomed at a reception in San Sebastian de La Gomera, the starting point of the race.