Londoners in "Hardest Ever" Rowing Race across the Irish Sea
A team of London rowers based at the Skiff Club and Royal Canoe Club in Teddington, Middx will contest one of the hardest rowing challenges in the world, the biennial Irish Sea rowing race, otherwise known as the Celtic Challenge, from Arklow in Ireland to Aberystwyth in Wales during the early May Bank holiday:- (May 1st to May 3rd).
The rowing team of 12, representing the Skiff Racing Association, is a mixture of locally based Atlantic rowers, British Skiffing champions, Henley winners and former World Rowing Champions. The team is lead by Jock Wishart from Kingston, the well known British adventurer: - holder of the Holder of the Round the World Powered Record, Atlantic oarsman and Organiser of the first ever Polar Race.
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The team will be racing in a four man jollyboat generously loaned to them by Petersham and Ham Sea Scouts of Richmond and built by Mark Edwards, who recently constructed the Replica Cutters for the restaging of the very first Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge.
A total of 19 teams are entered for one of the hardest rowing races in the world: - across what can be a very rough piece of water!
Each of the teams will have a mothership of minimum length 35 ft in support as well as a rib which will be used to change crew over, every 2 hours, as they race the 100 mile course. The first "race" took place in 1993 with 8 entries and it has been held every two years since, apart from a break due to "Foot and Mouth" which resulted in the last race being postponed to 2002.
Other Atlantic oarsmen include Charlie Street (Teddington), Roger Gould (Twickenham) both of whom competed in the first ever Atlantic Rowing Race in 1997. They were also part of the CNA Maritime sponsored team that rowed from London to Paris in just over 4 days in 1999.
The team are being sponsored by Miller Genuine Draft Beer, Scottish Courage, Cramer, CNA Maritime and Gill clothing.
The support craft are being provided by Gary Walker (mothership) who is in charge of the support team and David Sherriff (rib) the Reading based entrepreneur.
Rowing Team Members
Steve Aquilina (Ealing), London-Paris Rowing Record
Colin Fellows (Esher), Henley Veterans Winner and London-Paris Rowing Record
David Gattey (Thames Ditton), Henley R.R. Winner, British Skiffing Champion and London-Paris Rowing Record
John Graham (Sunbury), British Skiffing Champion)
Matt Harden (Bath), National Rowing Champion, Skiffing Champion and London-Paris Rowing Record
Rupert Hare (Putney), Henley R.R. Winner
Nick Howe (Maidenhead), World Rowing Champion and Oxford University rowing coach
Mike Lanzer (Twickenham), National Veterans Rowing Champion
Charlie Street (Teddington)
Andy Tompkins (Kingston), British Skiffing Champion and European Dragonboat champion
Martin Williams (Twickenham), Henley Vets Winner and British Dragonboat team
Jock Wishart (Kingston)
Support Team
Roger Gould (Twickenham)
Mike O'Hagen (Cowes I. O. W), Navigator Irish Admirals Cup Team
Gary Walker (Enfield), Head of Support Team, Holder Round the World Powered Record
Tony "Mr Fixit" Woodford (Worcester Park), Cameraman Polar Race 2003
For further information please contact
Jock Wishart
Tel: +44 (0)20 8549 1457
Mobile: 07711 727 298
Email: jockwish@aol.com
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 26th April 2004
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