American high school teacher Bryce Carlson has broken the speed record for rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from Canada to Great Britain. Carlson left St John’s, Newfoundland on June 27 and landed in the Scilly Isles, off the southwest corner of England, on August 4. He completed the 3,705-kilometre journey in 38 days and 6 hours, at an average speed of 4.6 kilometers per hour.
Including Carlson, 16 rowers have successfully crossed the Atlantic solo from west to east. They either start from Newfoundland or Halifax in Atlantic Canada or from Cape Cod or New York in the U.S.
Carlson’s is the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from Canada in an open class boat, whose higher profile catches a tailing wind and makes it potentially faster than classic class models.
The previous record as detailed by the Ocean Rowing Society was held by Canadian pilot and adventurer Laval St. Germain, who rowed from Halifax to Brest, France in 2016. Carlson knocked off 15 days from St. Germain’s record. However, St. Germain rowed approximately 1,400 km further than Carlson.
Bryce Carlson on arrival at St Mary’s Harbour, Scilly Isles. Photo: Bryce Carlson
Links
https://www.oceanrowing.com/statistics/Atlantic_W-E_solo.htm
