'Most crews make it, some don’t'

A team of four men are taking part in “the world’s toughest row” across the Atlantic ocean to raise money for charity.

Jason Howard from Sheffield is part of the team rowing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua, setting off on 12 December and raising money for Diabetes UK, Cancer Research and Final Straw Foundation.

Mr Howard said he was excited for the challenge that could see the team, which has a combined aged of 225, face 60ft (18m) high waves, whales and blue marlin on their 3,000-mile (4,828 km) journey.

He said it would be a "great adventure" both physically and mentally.

Mr Howard, 59, will be joined by friends Steve Potter, 62, and Dan Dicker and Jon Wilburn who are in their mid-50s.

The team is called Lessons from a Boat.

He said: “We can’t describe how anxious we might get in some of the conditions we’re going to face, but because of the guys that I’m rowing with I know we’ve got a good strong team.

“The beer at the end in Antigua is going to be really welcome but we’ve got a lot to do before we get there.”

The team is also working with Plymouth University to monitor sea pollution as part of a research project that uses satellite imagery to spot debris, track it and see where it has come from.

The World’s Toughest Row is an annual race.

The fastest row was a four man team from England who finished in 29 days, 14 hours and 34 minutes in 2018.

This year’s event includes 38 crews from across the world. The challenge is unsupported meaning the crews receive minimal physical support.

Mr Howard said: “A sailing crew goes with us but they have to support all the crews going across.

“They can’t physically get to any of us, we get quite spread out across the Atlantic as we’re going across. We all take our own routes depending on weather conditions and what we decide.”

Mr Howard’s team is planning to row two hours on, two hours off, with two people rowing at any one time for 24 hours a day.

They expect the journey to take 40 to 50 days.

He said: "This is such a great adventure physically and mentally that is going to push us well out of our comfort zone – which is one of the reasons that we wanted to do it in the first place."

Mr Howard said he was looking forward to the scary bits.

“There will be times when we get hit by storms and we literally have to batten down the hatches and climb into little cabins.

“It’ll be like being in a tumble drier in the middle of the ocean.

"Most crews make it, some don’t, so it’s not without jeopardy."

Physiotherapist Mr Howard chose Diabetes UK because his son is Type 1 diabetic.

He said: “He was diagnosed when he was nine years old and most Type 1 diabetics get on with life.

“So for me doing a 10-week challenge is nothing compared to what they have to put up with.

"I’ll be thinking about him all the way across.”

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