Atlantic Rowing Race

The Atlantic Rowing Race is an ocean rowing race from the Canary Islands to the West Indies, a distance of approximately 2,550 nm. The race was founded in 1997 by Sir Chay Blyth with subsequent races roughly every two years since. The early races were run by Challenge Business Ltd. until the race was bought by Woodvale Events Ltd., managed by Simon Chalk, in October 2003. In May 2012, Atlantic Campaigns SL, managed by Carsten Heron Olsen bought the rights to the Atlantic Rowing Race, now called The "Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge" – The World's Toughest Row. Since 2015, the race has been held annually starting each December.

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1997 – Port St. Charles Rowing Race

Departure Port: Playa San Juan, TenerifeArrival Port: Port St. Charles, BarbadosRace Start: 12 October 1997Teams Starting: 30 Teams Finishing: 24 Categories: PairsWinning Boat: Kiwi Challenge

* Team Name: Kiwi Challenge
* Country:
* Rowers: Rob Hamill and Phil Stubbs
* Time: 41 days, 2 hours, and 55 minutes

2001 – Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Race

Departure Port: Playa San Juan, TenerifeArrival Port: Port St. Charles, BarbadosRace Start: 7 October 2001Teams Starting: 36 Teams Finishing: 33 Categories: PairsWinning Boat: Telecom Challenge 1

* Team Name: Telecom Challenge 1
* Country:
* Rowers: Matt Goodman and Steve Westlake
* Time: 42 days, 4 hours, and 3 minutes

2003 – Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: Port St. Charles, BarbadosRace Start: 19 October 2003Teams Starting: 17 Teams Finishing: 14Categories: Singles, PairsWinning Boat:

* Team Name: Holiday Shoppe Challenge
* Country:
* Rowers: James Fitzgerald and Kevin Biggar
* Time: 40 days, 4 hours, and 3 minutes

2004 – Ocean Rowing Society Atlantic Rowing Regatta

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 20 January 2004Teams Starting: 13 Teams Finishing: 12 Categories: Singles, Pairs, 1x FourWinning Boat:

* Team Name: Atlantic-4
* Country:
* Rowers: David Martin, Neil Wightwick, Glynn Coupland, and George Simpson
* Time: 49 days, 14 hours, 21 minutes

2005 – Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 30 November 2005Teams Starting: 27 Teams Finishing: 20 Categories: Singles, Pairs, FoursWinning Boat:

* Team Name: C2
* Country:
* Rowers: Clint Evans and Chris Andrews
* Time: 52 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes

For more race details, see: 2005 Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race

2007 – Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 2 December 2007Teams Starting: 22 Teams Finishing: 20 Categories: Singles, Pairs, FoursWinning Boat:

* Team Name: Pure Vida
* Country:
* Rowers: John Cecil-Wright, Robbie Grant, Tom Harvey, and Carl Theakston
* Time: 48 Days, 2 hours, 52 minutes

For more race details, see: 2007 Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race

2009/2010 – Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: AntiguaRace Start: 4 January 2010 Teams Starting: 7 Solos, 20 Pairs, 3 Fours, 1 team of 12 Teams Finishing: 20Categories: Singles, Pairs, FoursWinning Boat: JJ

* Team Name: Charlie Pitcher
* Country:
* Rowers: Charlie Pitcher
* Time: 52 days 6 hours and 47 minutes

2011 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: Port St. Charles, BarbadosRace Start: 5 December 2011 Teams Starting: 17Teams Finishing: 11Categories: Singles, Doubles, Fours, Fives, and SixesWinning Boat: Box No 8

* Team Name: Box No 8
* Country:
* Rowers: Toby Iles and Nick Moore
* Time: 40 days, 9 hours, 15 minutes

2013 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: AntiguaRace Start: 4 December 2013 Teams Starting: 17Teams Finishing: 11Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, Fours, FivesWinning Boat: Locura

* Team Name: Team Locura
* Country:
* Rowers: Tom Salt and Mike Burton
* Time: 40 days, 2 hours, 38 minutes, 54 seconds

2015 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: AntiguaRace Start: 20 December 2015 Teams Starting: 26Teams Finishing: 26Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, FoursWinning Boat: Ocean Reunion

* Team Name: Ocean Reunion
* Country:
* Rowers: Angus Collins, Gus Barton, Joe Barnett, Jack Mayhew
* Time: 37 days, 9 hours, 12 minutes

2016 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: AntiguaRace Start: 14 December 2016 Teams Starting: 12Teams Finishing: 11Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, FoursWinning Boat: American Spirit

* Team Name: Latitude 35
* Country: Mixed
* Rowers: Jason Caldwell, Matthew Brown, Angus Collins, Alex Simpson
* Time: 35 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes

2017 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 14 December 2017 Teams Starting: 26 Teams Finishing: 22Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, FoursWinning Boat: Aegir

* Team Name: The Four Oarsmen
* Country:
* Rowers: George Biggar, Peter Robinson, Stuart Watts, Richard Taylor
* Time: 29 days, 14 hours, 34 minutes

2018 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 12 December 2018 Teams Starting: 28 Teams Finishing: 27Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, Fours, FivesWinning Boat: Rose

* Team Name: Dutch Atlantic Four
* Country:
* Rowers: Marcel Ates, Erik Koning, David de Bruijn, Bart Adema
* Time: 34 days, 12 hours, 9 minutes

2019 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 12 December 2019 Teams Starting: 35 Teams Finishing: 35Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, Fours, FivesWinning Boat:

* Team Name: Fortitude IV
* Country:
* Rowers: Oliver Palmer, Tom Foley, Hugh Gilum, Max Breet
* Time: 32 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes, 2 seconds 2019 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge
* Diversity: In 2019 the first Black team and the first Caribbean team completed the challenge. The team was composed of Christal Clashing, Samara Emmanuel, Kevinia Francis and Elvira Bell-Bailey. Three of the team, named Antigua Island Girls, went on to compete in and finish the 2023 inaugural World's Toughest Row-Pacific, using the funds raised to establish a home for girls in conflict with the law.

2021 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Departure Port: San Sebastián de la GomeraArrival Port: English Harbour, AntiguaRace Start: 12 December 2021 Teams Starting: 36 Teams Finishing: 35Categories: Singles, Doubles, Trios, Fours, FivesWinning Boat:

* Team Name: SWISS RAW
* Country:
* Rowers: Roman Moeckli, Ingvar Groza, Samuel Widmer, Jan Hurni
* Time: 34 days, 23 hours, 42 minutes '''2021 – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge'''

Current Race Records

Ocean rowing records for The Atlantic Rowing Race are maintained by Ocean Rowing Stats.

Category	Race Year	Time	Rowers	Team	Special Note
Traditional Single	2015	52 days, 3 hr, 26 min	Matteo Perucchini	Sogno Atlantico
Traditional Double	2003	40 days, 4 hr, 3 min	James Fitzgerald Kevin Biggar	Holiday Shoppe Challenge
Traditional Trio	2016	51 days, 1 hr, 13 min	Stuart Connacher Charl Gale Wayne Johnson	Facing It
Traditional Four
Concept Single	2016	49 days, 11 hr, 37 min	Gavan Hennigan	Soulogav
Concept Double	2019	37 days, 7 hr, 54 min	Dave Spelman Max Thorpe	Resilient:X	Guinness World Record for the fastest row across the Atlantic E-W by a duo
Concept Trio	12 Dec 2022 - 16 Jan 2023	35 days, 2 hr, 33 min	Gareth Keighley Charles Taylor Aaron Kneebone	Dark Trio	-
Concept Four	2017	29 days, 14 hr, 34 min	Peter Robinson Stuart Watts George Biggar Richard Taylor	The Four Oarsmen	Guinness World Record for the fastest row across the Atlantic E-W by a four person team
Female Trio	2023	40 days, 10 hr, 51 min	Bobbie Mellor Katherine Antrobus Hatty Carder	WaveBreakers	Fastest Female Trio to row across the Atlantic Ocean
Women's Solo	2024	44 days, 4 hours, 47 min	Liz Wardley		15 days faster than previous record