Lynmouth Sam leading World’s Toughest Row

The leading crews in the World’s Toughest Row have started to arrive at Nelsons Dockyard, English Harbour, Antiqua, with HMS Oardacious first to arrive on January 17 having rowed across the Atlantic in 35 days, 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Sam Glover from Lynmouth, aboard ‘The Entrepreneur Ship’, leads the solos, and is expected to arrive in Antigua around January 25.

Thirty-eight ocean rowing boats with 98 ocean rowers representing 10 nations set out from San Sebastian de La Gomera on December 13 to race 3,000 miles unsupported rowing across the Atlantic Ocean west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands (280N 180W) to Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda (170N 610W).

The 38 competing crews, 11 solos, 8 pairs, 6 trios, 12 fours and 1 five, includes just one rower from Devon, Glover leading the solo race.

The five-boat crew of ‘HMS Oardacious’ with the crew Rob Clarke, Daniel Seager, Mike Forrester, Ian Allen and Mathew Main are all Royal Navy submariners and crew members Rob Clarke and Mike Forrester have a link to Torbay through their Royal Navy service.

Rob was an Assistant Marine Engineer Officer and Mike, currently a Commander, both having served on the now decommissioned submarine HMS Torbay.

Family, friends and fellow seafarers alike gathered in eager anticipation for the arrival of the World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic 2023 Champions. HMS Oardacious received a triumphant reception back on to terra-firma after conquering this year’s World’s Toughest Row.

Royal Navy submariners Ian Allen, Dan Seager, Matt Main, Mike Forrester and Rob Clarke (all UK), undertook what was arguably their most enduring maritime enterprise ever.

Navigating immense mid-Atlantic swells, unrelenting weather conditions and tremendous physical and psychological battles, they emerged united and victorious.

As stated by crew member Mike: “You can’t fight it, you get knocked down, you get hit again and again but you need to get back up, get your head together and pull yourself together with the team - and we did”.

In times of solace, Dan Seager was able to poetically express their quest through his writings to their supporters back home, describing not only their extraordinary encounters with blue marlin and whales, but also the moments of agony and pain which the team successfully persevered through.