Blogs

GB ROW CHALLENGE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOAT RACE ANNOUNCED – 28th March 2022

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The Boat Race and GB Row Challenge have announced a sustainability and youth development partnership for 2022.

Three boats of 6 will race in GB Row 2022 with two Boat Race alumni, Andrew Triggs-Hodge OBE and Robin Bourne-Taylor CGC, competing in the same crew. The crews, highly diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, mobility and background include Para athletes, Olympians and scientists. These crews represent British people as a whole and the hope is that this race will not only allow scientists to help our oceans but create awareness of the wonders of British waters and the need to protect them.

One of the crew members is Dr Kat Bruce, a rower and scientist Kat is an alumni of Oxford University and founder of Nature Metrics, an organization specializing in the collection and analysis of environmental DNA.

“Now eDNA lets anyone discover what species live in their local environment just by filtering water and sending the filter to the lab This gives us a chance to engage young people with nature while building critically important datasets that can guide policy at all levels”

Andrew and Robin, both passionate about youth development through sport, are leading on the engagement between GB Row Challenge and the Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme. Kids involved in the Bursary Scheme will be able to follow the GB Row Challenge in June remotely via an online tracker, where they can form their own teams to compete on rowing machines, and other forms of exercise, to log a distance to complete against the racing crews. At the same time GB Row Challenge will be helping to share educational content to explain the conservational and environmental importance of looking after our waters.

“It is great that Hodgey and I can use the experience we have from The Boat Race to help our crew prepare for this challenge. Through all the teams competing this year, we want to inspire kids into rowing and giving them a way to connect a sport that they love to such an important environmental purpose.” Robin Bourne-Taylor (OUBC 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2005)

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Exe Endurow interviewed for Allsportsnu blog

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GB Row team Exe Endurow have been interviewed for the Allsportsnu blog. You can read the full interview on the Allsportsnu website: https://www.allsports-nutrition.com/blog/exclusive-interview-with-the-record-breaking-exe-endurow-team/

Exe Endurow home

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GB Row 2020 team Exe Endurow have completed their round Britain row when they crossed the finish line at Tower Bridge on Sunday 16 August 2020 with a time of 42 days 8 hours 23 minutes and 16 seconds.

The team have achieved a world record for the youngest team to complete this route, and also set a record for the fastest supported row. The team of Charles Bromhead, Oliver Dawe-Lane, Arthur Chatto and Henry Lidgley left Tower Bridge, London on 5th July 2020 and returned on 16th August.

 

‘The hardest thing we’ve undertaken’

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Rowing Roy team talk about their extreme round Britain challenge

The ‘Rowing Roy’ 2 man team of Duncan Roy and Gus Barton, both experienced transatlantic rowers, were rowing round Britain at the same time as GB Row’s team Exe Endurow. Starting from Ramsgate in late June, they have now ended their row at Amble on the Northumberland coast. In an interview with the Guardian on 21 July they told how extreme the round Britain route is compared to open ocean rowing.

Duncan Roy recounted how the British coastal route is full of treacherous currents, fast changing weather, heavy shipping, and the ever present temptation of normal life carrying on just a few miles away on the coastline.

The two rowers originally planned to take part in a trans Pacific row, but when this was cancelled due to covid they switched their plans to undertake the round Britain route in an independent record breaking attempt. Their aim was to raise funds for charity while beating the current time set by Jason McKinlay and Josh Tarr in GB Row 2013 on the slightly longer Tower Bridge to Tower Bridge route. However with that target time approaching while they were still off the Northumberland coastline, and with a looming family wedding commitment for team member Gus Barton, it seems the two have sadly had to put ashore at Amble.

The Rowing Roy story  really shows that the round Britain route is a tougher challenge of endurance and navigational skills than a Transatlantic row.  If you think your are up for it, register your interest for GB Row 2021.

Read the full interview on the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jul/21/uk-rowers-attempt-to-sail-around-uk-in-record-time