The battle to set a new world record for rowing non-stop around Britain is by no means over.
GBRow 2013 race leaders, the Islanders, are now rowing at an astonishing 6.3knots off the north Norfolk coast. They have now past Cromer and are heading towards Great Yarmouth, helped on their way by fast-flowing tides and a 6.9knot tailwind.
Skipper Josh Tyalor and his crew – Alan Morgan, James Plumley and Gavin Sheehan – have 53.5 hours left to cover 147miles to the finish at Tower in London if they are to have a chance of beat the existing world record of 26 days 21 hours 14mins, set in 2005.
The Islanders’ boat, the Black Oyster, has been suffering from electrical problems caused by a shortage of sun to operate their on-board solar panels but in a text to race headquarters Alan Morgan said: “V strong tides and not a cloud in the sky. Quite hot. With any luck we will do a Facetime with Mersea School tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, second-place Savoir Faire were also making just over six knots as they approached the tidal races at John O’Groats. At 21.00 they were less than three miles from the most northerly point on the British mainland.