Old Sennockian completes Atlantic Challenge

January 21, 2020

Max Thorpe (OS 2011) and his rowing partner, Dave Spelman, have completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in world record time.  

The pair began the world’s toughest row alongside 34 other teams on 12 December in La Gomera, rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to Antigua in 37 days, 7 hours, and 54 minutes.

The challenge involves rowing for two hours, and sleep for two hours, in continuous shifts. The teams have no support boats, so each must carry their own food and make their water with a solar-powered desalinator. Each rower consumes an average of 10 litres of water and burns 5000 calories per day, as well as facing 40-foot waves, isolation and potential seasickness.

Max had previously attempted the challenge in 2017 but faced disaster after a huge rogue wave caused his boat to capsize and set alight, leaving him and his partner to face a harrowing fight for their lives in unimaginable conditions. In an amazing demonstration of resilience, Max was able to overcome this traumatic experience and successfully reattempt the challenge.

Max and Dave finished an incredible seventh overall, and were the first pair to reach the finish line in new world record time.

Huge congratulations to Max and Dave on this tremendous achievement.