DURHAM UNIVERSITY PALS CELEBRATE A WORLD RECORD ‘ULTIMATE TRIATHLON’ AFTER ROWING THE ATLANTIC IN 38 DAYS

Seamus Crawford and Paddy Montgomery stepped out of their 7 metres by 2 metres boat in English Harbour, Antigua in the early hours of Monday 22nd January having completed the gruelling 3,000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 38 days and 22 hours and 31 minutes. They came in 13th from a field of 26 and 3rd in the pairs. 4 boats retired from the race.

They were greeted by their family and friends, after tackling 40ft waves, capsizing, being followed by sharks and enduring the pain of 2 hours on 2 hours off continuous rowing for 38 days.

No one has ever before completed 3 extreme challenges like this – a 2933 mile cycle ‘Race across Europe’ in 12 days. The legendary Marathon Des Sables across the Sahara (equivalent to 6 marathons) and now the Talisker Whisky Challenge 3000 mile Atlantic row. Paddy and Seamus have done it in 3 consecutive years!

Talking about their life-changing experience Seamus said: “It’s difficult to describe the walls of water we encountered out there. They literally have been the size of buildings at times - both Paddy and I have definitely had moments where we have never been so scared. At those times, you realise just how much at the mercy of the elements you really are and that nobody actually conquers the Atlantic when they row across it - the Atlantic merely lets you pass through - if you're lucky.”

This race is a unique, life-changing experience. Each participant burns around 8,000 calories a day and loses approximately 20% of their body weight over the duration of the race. Alongside the physical challenge, they have to work together to stay mentally strong as they spend anywhere between 35-90 days alone on the ocean.

Paddy, the son of Bruce Montgomery, a retired consultant urological surgeon at Frimley Park Hospital, is raising money for the Prostate Project, a volunteer led, Guildford based prostate cancer charity and Seamus is rowing for Shooting Star Chase, a children’s hospice charity, also in Guildford, caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting illnesses.

Paddy’s target for the Prostate Project is £300,000. The money will go towards the charity’s Buy a Brick appeal to raise £2.1m towards the building of a new world-class urology Centre at Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford. Send a message to: saddlesandsea@gmail.com and donate at: www.saddlesandsea.com

The Prostate Project has no offices or paid staff. Admin costs are less than 5% resulting in at least 95% of raised funds going directly to the point of need. The charity has raised more than £8m over the last 20 years. More information is available at: www.prostate-project.org.uk

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More information from:
Tim Sharp
07989 865702 or email: tim@timothysharp.co.uk
or
Katherine Hammersley
07724 465883 or email: info@prostate-project.org.uk