The Team This Way Up rowing crew, which is currently contesting the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge this month with support from MotorSport Vision (MSV), has completed its first week of the race in the overall lead by more than nine miles!
They set out from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on Monday 12 December, and the four-strong crew of Edward Ogden, Oliver Browne, James Peet and Jos Pape immediately rowed hard and consistently to be the fastest boat in the race early on, a position they have held incredibly well.
Strategically, Team This Way Up made the decision to row more southerly than the majority of their competitors to pick up the north easterly breeze a few days into the voyage. This decision has allowed them to row with the wind behind them and has been crucial in moving them into the lead and helping them stay there.
There is a still a long way to go for the ocean crossing but the team are thrilled they are now less than 2,000 miles from their final destination at Nelson's Dockyard, English Harbour in Antigua and Barbuda.
MSV is pleased to be supporting Team This Way Up in this contest, billed as the world's toughest row. The team aims to raise £250,000 for charity and is nearly halfway there, having already raised £113,000. You can find out more about their progress, and how to donate, from their official Facebook page. To track the race live, click here.