Ian Clinton, Simon Chalk, Jordan Swift, and Matt Mason have become the first crew to row across the North Atlantic Ocean from New York to London.
All four rowers are serving, or are former members, of the Royal Marine Commando.
They set off from Brooklyn Bridge on May 31 and crossed the finish line at Tower Bridge yesterday. It took them 72 days to cover the 5,572km route. They set themselves the target of completing the journey in 70 days, but bad weather meant that they just missed out.
The route. Image: oceanrevivaladventures.com
During their entire row, they grappled with some of the worst conditions on record in the North Atlantic. They spent a total of 24 days on their para-anchor. Member Jordan Swift told CNBC that the physical aspect of that challenge hadn’t been that bad. The biggest difficulty was the emotional ups and downs from all the setbacks because of the weather they faced.
Ocean Revival makes it to London. Photo: @oceanrevival2020
Of the four, only Mason and Chalk had previously rowed across an ocean. Mason completed the Atlantic Rowing Race (now known as the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge) in 2014, and Chalk is one of the world’s foremost ocean rowers. He has rowed the Atlantic seven times, the Indian Ocean twice, and holds multiple Guinness World Records in ocean rowing. He was in the first Atlantic Rowing Race in 1997 and went on to manage the race in 2003.
Some have dubbed this route “the world’s most dangerous row”. Just 57 people have made it across the North Atlantic. The crossing has been attempted 72 times, with 29 successes and 43 failures, including six deaths. Although others have rowed across the North Atlantic, Ocean Revival is the first team to make it from New York to London.
