Christmas in the Atlantic Ocean for Devon crews impressing in rowing challenge

The second week of the World’s Toughest Row organised by Atlantic Campaigns has seen crews continuing to make good progress and celebrate Christmas in the middle of the Atlantic.

Conditions have been helpful with a following wind and waves providing a much better start to the crossing than was experienced last year.

Forty-three ocean rowing boats with 114 ocean rowers representing 20 nations left San Sebastian de La Gomera on December 14 in the 2025 race, a 3,000 mile unsupported rowing race across the Atlantic Ocean west from San Sebastian in La Gomera in the Canary Islands (280N 180W) to Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda (170N 610W).

The 43 competing crews are made up of 10 solos, 11 pairs, 6 trios and 16 fours. Amongst the crews there are two Devon rowers, Clare O’Reilly from Wembury who was at Dartmouth Regatta this year with her trio crew ‘Row with the Flow’ and Jess Smiles from Saunton who is rowing in a pair named ‘Atlantic Highway’ named after the highway through North Devon.

The current leaders are the Swiss crew ’44 West’ who have completed over 1,200 nautical miles. ‘Atlantic Highway’ are 11th and have rowed over 1,000 nautical miles. They lead the women’s class and are 3rd in the pairs.

‘Row with the Flow’ are 18th having rowed over 900 nautical miles and are second in the women’s class and 4th in the trios. Both crews having improved their positions again this week.

There has been another medical emergency with a crew member taken off of the Danish trio ‘Row for Change’.