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Rowers gear up for Atlantic epic
Alexandra Wood A ROWING team about to make an epic crossing of the Atlantic had a final training run on the Humber.
Just 58 days remain before two Yorkshiremen and their colleagues climb into their rowing boat, to sail past the Statue of Liberty on a 3,318-mile race from New York to Falmouth, in the Woodvale Ocean Fours Atlantic Challenge.
Out on the Atlantic they'll be up against long, slow rollers – waves coming at them around 30ft apart.
Down on the Humber the waves were short and choppy, but the driving rain and penetrating cold added a realistic touch.
And the team faced an unexpected problem when their rudder broke – forcing them to come up with a solution on the spot.
Capt Pete Rowlands, of Long Riston in East Yorkshire, is taking on the challenge in memory of his teenage son, Gareth, who died of meningitis two years ago. He said: "I'd like it to be flat calm but it is likely to be windy, cold and wet. If we face a headwind it will slow us down but as I have said all along the weather conditions will be really with us or against us, it's as simple us that."
In a week's time the boat is being shipped over to America, and the team will fly out on May 25 for the start of the race on June 10.
Capt Rowlands will be joined in the Atlantic race by three fellow Commandos: long-time friend and Long Riston neighbour Capt Mark Waterson, mine disposal expert Charlie Martell, of Gloucestershire, and Staff Sergeant Ben Fouracre, of Wiltshire.
Up against them are two unknown American teams, another from Yorkshire, called Yorkshire Warrior, and a fourth from Kent.
Capt Rowlands added: "We have completed all the video evidence we need for the event organisers – they need us working all the communications equipment and we have a system which allows us to update our website on a daily basis.
"We also needed to prove that we can cook – as daft as it may sound."
The team has raised the 100,000 sponsorship needed for the vessel, provided by Leeds-based Hesco Bastion, supplier of force protection equipment to the military, and another 50,000 on top for the Meningitis Trust.
However, they still want to raise another 50,000 – and are asking readers to donate via a secure website at www.justgiving.com/oceanrowing
It is the second in a series of three extreme challenges – they have already raced to the North Pole in a record-breaking time.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
