An Irish rowing team has set a new world record for the fastest team of five to cross the Atlantic Ocean, rowing from the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Carribean in 33 days 12 hours and 39 minutes.
The team, known as Row Hard or Go Home 5, “smashed” the previous record of 35 days, 19 hours and 50 minutes that was set in 2019, according to Atlantic Campaigns, which runs the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
The team who completed the 4,800km race is comprised of Derek McMullen, Tom Nolan, Shane Culleton, Gearoid O’Briain and Diarmuid O’Briain.
“This team lived up to their namesake, and rowed hard to secure this incredible record. They have maintained their position throughout the race and kept up their battle with the front runners - even in the face of total power loss,” the organisers said.
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The Row Hard or Go Home Instagram page shared a video of the team approaching Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, in which they could be heard singing The Wild Rover.
A post on their social media page said: “These amazing folks have actually rowed themselves across the Atlantic. And what’s even more amazing is that they have done so in record-breaking time for a five-person team. What a phenomenal job and amazing achievement.”
Speaking from the podium after completing the challenge, Diarmuid Ó Briain said: “I think we found a rainbow in each other, through the hard times we backed each other up and I’m just so proud to be involved with four amazing individuals like these guys beside me, and I wouldn’t row an ocean with anybody else.”
Row Hard or Go Home 5 was the first team of five to cross the finish line, and finished fifth overall. The race also fields solo rowers, and teams of two, three and four rowers.
A second Irish team were also undertaking the challenge, under the name Row Hard or Go Home 4, continue to row their way across the ocean.
The team, which was in 10th place on Sunday afternoon, are on target to reach Antigua in the early hours of January 17th.
The two teams were completing the challenge in aid of two charities: the Laura Lynn Foundation and the RNLI. As of Sunday afternoon, they had raised €47,080 for the two organisations, surpassing their target of €30,000.
Separately, Dubliner Jamie Carr, a football coach at Man City’s academy, is also taking part in the challenge in the solo race.
