Rowers celebrate crossing Atlantic for Havant’s Over the Wall charity

The rowers endured a 42-day row and raised more than £7,000 for youth organisation Over the Wall.

The feat, which has been described as the ‘toughest row in the world’, spanned 3,000 miles and 42 days of continuous rowing from La Gomera to Antigua in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. 

The team, named ‘Row, Row, Row Our Boat’, are made up of four members Andy Williams, Nick Wright, Andrew Burns and Jonny Bayley, finished 9th out of 29 other rowing teams from across the world.

Captain of the team and former Royal Marine, Andy Williams, said: ‘This challenge has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to achieve something that so very few people have achieved.

‘Our journey required us to reach beyond our potential which is exactly what Over The Wall encourages campers to do at its camps.’

Over the Wall, in Langstone Road, provides summer camps for children and their families coping with serious illnesses and conditions.

The team - from Westbourne, Thorney Island, Chichester and Brighton - have been away from their families since December, 12 2018 and have been living on their 8.5m boat and surviving on freeze-dried food.

They rowed two at a time for 24 hours each day, in two-hour intervals and two-hour breaks.

Kevin Mathieson, the CEO of Over The Wall, said he was incredible grateful for the team’s hard work and that their efforts mean more children can enjoy the camps.

More people have been to space than have taken on this challenge, with the team suffering from blisters, seasickness, sunburn and sleep deprivation.

To donate to the Row, Row, Row Our Boat team and support Over The Wall and Royal Surrey County Hospital Charitable Trust see www.r3ob.com