The Virgin Trophy Virgin GB Row Challenge GB Row Challenge
Samsung Wave phones used by the crews
donate to Help for Heroes
51 days 16 hours 42 minutes
New World Record set on 23 July in Virgin GB Row 2010
JM Yachting
Home
The Route
Donate
Photos
The Teams
The Virgin Trophy
About Virgin GB Row
Press Articles
2005 World Record
Entry Forms
Venue and Route
Training
Social Media
Support Services
Schedule
Sponsors
Charity
Friends of the Challenge
Contact
 
   

Latest News

"I'm so proud of the four rowers who've worked with such determination and bravery over the last four weeks to overcome the hardships they faced on their incredible journey around Britain. It is so like the battle new leukaemia patients have to go through. The money the rowers have raised through battling against the sea will be used to help our patients win their battle against leukaemia."
Professor Ray Powles - Bud Flannagan Leukaemia Fund

Rowers' final leg of record bid
July 3 2005

Four rowers attempting to become the first people to row non-stop around Britain are expected to achieve their ambitious record book bid on Monday.
[ BBC News Article click here to read ]


Round Britain rowers off East Anglian coast
July 2 2005
FOUR intrepid rowers who are attempting to set a world record by becoming the first people ever to row non-stop around mainland Britain are off the
coast of East Anglia.
[ Click here to read ]


Bear Grylls, Everest Mountaineer: "Keep at it guys - remember it is much easier to be a starter than a finisher...so that leaves you with one option...stick it out! You're heroes!"

Help GB Row raise £1million
Every penny counts !
The crew's thoughts have turned to just why they undertook this epic voyage. They did it to raise money - hopefully £1 million - for two extremely worthwhile charities, The Bud Flanagan Fund for luekaemia research and The Outward Bound Trust, who deserve our support.

Each member of the crew has made a special video appeal for YOUR help.

Click here for the VIDEO CLIPS


Alex Partridge, GB Olympic Squad: " I am so impressed by the challenge - rowing 24 hours a day, and the ability of the crew to keep their spirits high.  I personally don't think I could have done it - it takes a special type of character to do this - and to raise money for two such good causes along the way."

Round Britain rowers hit by freak wave
June 30 2005
A FREAK 10-foot wave hit four round-Britain rowers, almost capsized their tiny boat and smashed two of their oars.
[ Click here to read ]



Round Britain rowers back on course
June 29 2005
FOUR rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland were back on course today (Weds) after a ‘disastrous’ day yesterday.
[ Click here to read ]

Round Britain rowers on course for Yorkshire
June 28 2005
FOUR intrepid rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland reached the Teesside coast today and stripped off!
[ Click here to read ]

Bamburgh Castle In Northumberland
June 28 2005
Photographs of GB Row Challenge rowing at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland.
[ Click here to view ]


Mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, a trustee of the Outward Bound Trust and chairman of the organisation’s Risk Committee said: “It’s an amazing challenge and the team have risen to it brilliantly. I’ve been following their progress and I’m so proud of their fantastic achievement.”

GB rowers on course for a record
June 27 2005

Four rowers attempting to become the first people to row non-stop around Britain are on course to sail into the record books next week.
[ BBC News Article click here to read ]


Round Britain rowers back in English waters
June 27 2005
FOUR intrepid rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland reached the Northumberland coast today, crossing over the border from Scotland in the early hours of the morning.
[ Click here to read ]

GB Rowers are off the Scottish East Coast
June 25 2005
FOUR rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland have reached Aberdeen.
[ Click here to read ]

GB Rowers : We're on the way home!
June 24 2005
FOUR rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland are on the final leg of their incredible journey. Yesterday, the GB Row Challenge team passed John O’Groats, the most northerly point on the mainland, and are now heading south down the east coast of Scotland.
[ Click here to read ]

Photographs from the Isle of Skye
June 23 2005
Thanks to Sarah Bond for sending in some great photographs from the Isle of Skye, as she caught up with GB Row Challenge on the Scotish leg of their record breaking attempt.
[ Click here to see the photos ]

gb row challenge gb row challenge

Round Britain rowers reach John O'Groats
June 23 2005
FOUR rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland are expected to pass John O’Groats today (Thurs) and begin the final leg of their incredible journey.
[ Click here to read ]

Rowers set to reach most north-westerly point
June 22 2005
FOUR rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland are set reach the most north-westerly point on their amazing expedition today (Wednesday).
[ Click here to read ]

Record bid rowers reach half-way
June 21 2005

A team of four rowers attempting to raise £1m for charity by becoming the first people to row non-stop around the UK have reached the half-way point.
[ BBC News Article click here to read ]


Round Britain rowers reach halfway
June 21 2005
gb row challenge
FOUR intrepid rowers attempting a world record for rowing non-stop 2,000 miles around the British mainland have reached the halfway point.

The GB Row Challenge team passed under the Isle of Skye road bridge at 9 o’clock this morning, which means they have now rowed 1,000 miles in their tiny 23-feet-long boat since leaving London’s Tower Bridge two weeks ago today.

[ Click here to read ]

Big Waves
June 18 2005
Photographs sent in from the boat, as the crew do battle with some large waves while attempting to become the first people to row non-stop around Britain.
[ Click here for more ]

GB rowers battered by 50ft waves
June 16 2005

Four rowers attempting to become the first people to row non-stop around Britain have been battling with near-50ft (15m) waves in the Irish Sea.
[ BBC News Article click here to read ]

GB Row in the Solent
June 15 2005
Click here for VIDEO CLIP

GB Row Challenge: first week at sea
June 15 2005
An article by Sarah Bond covering the first week of GB Row Challenge.
[ Click here to read ]

Photographs from the first week
June 15 2005
Thanks to Sarah and Katy who sent in some great photographs from the first week of GB Row Challenge, as they caught up with the crew on their record breaking attempt.
[ Click here to see the photos ]

gb row challenge gb row challenge

GB Row Challenge Begins !
June 7 2005
GB Row Challenge begins, photographs from the Tower of London as the crew set out on their record breaking attempt.
[ Click here for more ]


gb row challenge gb row challenge

'This is a very brave and courageous record attempt - it's the first time a record of this nature has been attempted. Everyone here at Guinness World Records wishes the crew the very best of luck and we hope that they will be able to take their place in the Guinness World Records book'
Craig Glenday, Editor of Guinness World Records 

Leukaemia Clinic Visit
May 2005
One of the aims of GB Row Challenge is to raise money for Leukaemia Research. William de Laszlo and James Bastin recently visited a Leukaemia clinic, where they met patients and learned more about the ongoing work to fight the disease.
[ Click here for more ]


Training Continues
May 2005
As the start of the challenge nears, training continues for the GB Row Challenge crew, preparing themselves mentally and physically for the task ahead.
[ Click here for more ]


Tower of London Official Launch
11 May 2005
At 11am the official launch of GB Row Challenge took place at Gunnery Wharf in front of the Tower of London. The Launch Reception, in the presence of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, was hosted by the Outward Bound Trust.
[ Click here for more ]


On the water at Tower Bridge
May 2005
Photographs of GB Row on the River Thames at Tower Bridge.
[ Click here for more ]


Training Video Clips
May 2005
GB Row Challenge training video clips in Windows Media Player format.


Sea Trials
25 - 29 April 2005
In a pre-challenge expedition the GB Row Challenge crew put out to sea for the first time off Wales. The sea trial lasted 4 days and nights which saw the boat and crew put through their paces for the first time.
[ Click here for more ]



UK Military Nutrition Advisory Service
April 2005
Each individual will be rowing for a total of 11 hours per day, 4 hours on and 4 hours off for approximately 50 days. All food will be carried on the boat, and there will be no re-supply during the event. A source of fresh water is available. Recommended energy intake is a minimum of 5,500 to 6,000 kilocalories (kcal) per person per day.
[ Click here for more ]

Advice on 'Bulking UP' Prior to Event
April 2005
Due to the strenuous nature of this event and its duration, I would strongly advise that you do consider gaining weight prior to starting this expedition. Assuming that you will begin this venture at a high level of physical fitness, any weight loss during the 50 days is likely to be muscle mass. This will therefore impact on your strength and therefore physical ability.
[ Click here for more ]

Donate Online
March 2005
You can now donate online using our safe and secure form, please see the Donations Page for more details.
[ Click here for more ]



Challenge Updates
March 2005
Each member of Team GB Row Challenge has an online Diary/Journal allowing web viewers to keep up to date with the progress of the challenge. You can read their entries by clicking the scrolling text at the top of each page.
[ Click here for more ]

Sea Trials and Training
March 2005
Boat construction and fitting out has now been completed allowing the rowers to commence their training. Click the link below to view photographs of early trials at sea, as the boat is put through its paces.
[ Click here for more ]