The Atlantic Dash
World’s Toughest Row
World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic
The World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic is the ultimate test of human endurance, mental resilience, and teamwork. Spanning 3,000 miles (4,800 km) across the Atlantic Ocean, this gruelling challenge pushes solo rowers and teams to their absolute limits as they battle the elements in one of the most remote and unpredictable environments on Earth.
Teams from all backgrounds come together, united by a single goal: to conquer the Atlantic in a rowing boat. The energy is electric as crews support one another in the final preparations before facing the vast ocean.
Once at sea, rowers endure sleep deprivation, relentless waves, and the physical toll of non-stop rowing. Alone with their thoughts, they battle exhaustion and push their limits to reach the other side.
This challenge is different for everyone, but one thing remains constant—it forges deep bonds. Rivalry gives way to mutual respect, and finishing the journey means joining a unique brotherhood of ocean rowers. The mental and physical endurance required leaves each participant with a life-changing achievement they will carry forever.
The Journey: From Start to Finish
Starting Point – San Sebastián, La Gomera
The adventure begins in San Sebastián, La Gomera, part of Spain’s Canary Islands. Every December, rowers from around the world gather in the race village, making final preparations, checking equipment, and soaking in the electric atmosphere before launching into the vast Atlantic. The island’s dramatic volcanic landscape and rich maritime history set the stage for an extraordinary voyage.
Once the starting horn sounds, teams and solo rowers leave the safety of the harbour, heading west toward the open ocean. From this point forward, they are entirely self-sufficient, relying on their own strength, strategy, and endurance to make it to the other side.
The Challenges of the Atlantic
Rowing across an ocean is one of the toughest endurance feats imaginable. Competitors face:
Relentless Waves & Unpredictable Weather: The Atlantic is known for its ever-changing conditions. Teams can experience towering waves up to 40 feet high, fierce storms, or days of dead calm where progress is painfully slow.
Physical & Mental Exhaustion: Rowers operate on a brutal schedule, typically rowing two hours on, two hours off, 24 hours a day. Sleep deprivation, fatigue, and muscle strain take their toll.
Isolation & Mental Toughness: With nothing but the horizon in every direction, rowers spend weeks in complete isolation, battling loneliness and mental fatigue. The challenge is as much psychological as it is physical.
Blistering Heat & Salt Sores: Exposure to the sun and salt water leads to painful sores, dehydration, and extreme discomfort. Managing nutrition, hydration, and hygiene is critical for survival.
Wildlife Encounters: While the ocean is unforgiving, it also offers moments of awe—rowers often see dolphins, whales, flying fish, and even sharks along their journey.
The Finish Line – English Harbour, Antigua
After weeks at sea, the rowers approach English Harbour, Antigua, a stunning Caribbean destination steeped in history. As they make their final strokes toward land, they are greeted by family, friends, and supporters, celebrating a feat that few will ever achieve.
The fastest teams can complete the crossing in just over 30 days, while others may take up to 90 days depending on conditions, crew size, and rowing efficiency. Regardless of the time taken, reaching Antigua marks the end of an incredible journey—one that transforms those who take it on, leaving them with a deep sense of accomplishment and an unbreakable bond with the ocean.
Race Facts
- Each team will row in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes during a race.
- Team Fortitude IV achieved the fastest 24 hours ever with 107.45 nautical miles covered.
- The fastest row across the Atlantic was a four man team The Four Oarsmen who finished in 29 days, 14 hours and 34 minutes
- At its deepest, the Atlantic Ocean is 8.5km / 5.28 miles deep.
- The waves that the rowers experience can measure up to 20ft high.
- Each rower is expected to use 800 sheets of toilet paper during their crossing.
- Crews will experience a range of temperatures, from as low as 10 degrees during the night shifts at the start to well in to the 30’s with added humidity as they approach the finish.
- In the 2016 race, solo rower Daryl Farmer arrived in Antigua after 96 days, rowing without a rudder to steer with for nearly 1200miles/40 days.
- Dutchman, Mark Slats, holds the world record for fastest solo and fastest pair, interestingly his solo time is the faster of the two.
- Rowers burn in excess of 5,000 calories per day.
- There is no toilet on board – rowers use a bucket!
- The average rower loses around 8kg during a crossing.
- In the 2018 race, solo rower Kelda Wood (Row 2 Raise) was kept company by a whale for nearly 7 days.
- Danish ocean rowing legend, Lasse Wulff Hansen, has completed our Atlantic route 3 times, as a pair, as part of a 4 team, as a solo, AND in 2023 he crossed the Pacific route too as part of four man team, Ocean Warrior.
- All crewmembers MUST be attached to the boats “jackstay” with a 3 point safety harness whenever they are on deck.
Push your limits
The Atlantic doesn’t just test rowers—it rewrites them. Every year, ordinary people become legends, carving their stories into the waves. No two crossings are the same: one crew battles a storm for days, another glides alongside breaching whales, while a third smashes records no one thought possible. This isn’t just a race; it’s a living chronicle of human grit, wild encounters, and ever-shifting horizons. The ocean keeps the ledger, but we’re the ones filling its pages.
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