{"id":102629,"date":"2025-02-20T16:43:52","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T16:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorersweb.com\/?p=102629"},"modified":"2025-02-20T16:43:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T16:43:52","slug":"ocean-rowing-roundup-for-february","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorersweb.com\/ocean-rowing-roundup-for-february\/","title":{"rendered":"Ocean Rowing Roundup for February"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since our last ocean roundup,<\/a> another event has started in the Atlantic Ocean, soloists are just days away from land, and a legendary 73-year-old adventurer is taking on the South Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n

South Atlantic Ocean<\/h2>\n

Fedor Konyukhov (RU):<\/strong>\u00a0 The 73-year-old priest and prolific adventurer Fedor Konyukhov<\/a> is completing a circumnavigation of the southern hemisphere. The epic challenge comprises three stages and covers <\/span>a staggering<\/span> 27,000km of rowing. O<\/span>n May 9, 2019, he completed the first stage after 154 days at sea, rowing <\/span>11,525km<\/span> from New Zealand to Argentina. In doing so, he did the first-known successful solo crossing of the Southern Pacific Ocean.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He had intended to begin the second stage in 2020, but the pandemic delayed him, as it did everyone else<\/span>. Konyukhov finally started stage two on December 5, 2024, when he set out from Chile into the Drake Passage.<\/span> He is heading across the South Atlantic and South Indian Oceans to Australia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By the end of 2024, he had successfully maneuvered around the most difficult points on his route through the South Atlantic: Isla de los Estados, the Falkland Islands, Burdwood Bank, and South Georgia Island. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Loneliness in the ocean is felt more on days like <\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0when you reflect on the past year and mentally go over your whole life,” he wrote. “When I was young, I never thought I would <\/span>be greeting<\/span> 2025 in the South Atlantic aboard a rowing boat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rowing through these notorious waters, the veteran has had to tackle every possible weather scenario. Winds raged from every direction, including strong headwinds<\/span> and cyclones, which battered his boat to a worrying degree. <\/span>His wind vane, active radar reflector, and one of his satellite phones all sustained damage.
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At the start of February, a Force 10 storm hit Konyukhov<\/span>, further damaging his navigation and communication systems. Noting a research vessel nearby<\/span>, his land team asked the ship to pass near the little rowing boat to check on Konyukhov. On February 6, they found him waving cheerily at them and in excellent spirits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the final leg of his circumnavigation, he will row from Australia back to New Zealand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

North Atlantic Ocean\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Mission Atlantic<\/strong>: This Atlantic event features two crews battling<\/span> from Spain to Barbados. The organizers stress<\/span> that this is not a race. Only open to active or retired military personnel, the two crews this year include one pair and one foursome.
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British duo Chris Thrall and Louie Greenhalgh <\/span>make up<\/span> Oceans Elite<\/em>. Meanwhile,<\/span> Baudouin De La Rochefoucauld (Belgium), Juan Dumont De Chassart (Belgium), Jean-Pierre Boross De Levay (Costa Rica\/Canada), and Joachim Megret De Serilly D\u2019Etigny (Brazil\/France) call themselves the Rowing Stones<\/em>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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‘Oceans Elite’ crosses the finish line. Photo: Mission Atlantic<\/p><\/div>\n

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Both crews finished the <\/span>4,800km <\/span>route after approximately<\/span> seven <\/span>weeks on the water. Although, yes, it was not a race, Oceans Elite<\/em> beat the <\/span>four-man<\/span> crew to the finish line by a few days, landing on January 27. The Rowing Stones<\/em> came in on January 31.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During their final few days, both crews experienced strong winds across the Sargasso Sea. Oceans Elite<\/em> suffered a capsize, and the Rowing Stones <\/em><\/span>had to deal with <\/span>both<\/span> knee and wrist injuries. The biggest worry for both was that strong winds would push them off-course as they neared Barbados.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Atlantic Dash:<\/strong> This month’s second Atlantic event bills itself as<\/span> an “ocean-rowing regatta.” Crews start from the Canary Islands and row 5,000km to Antigua. Like Mission Atlantic, it is a relatively small event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, four crews are competing. Gary Hutching is rowing solo, Row For It<\/em> is a team of four consisting of Neil Glover, Peter Ross, Darren Smith, and Nick Southwood. The all-female Cruising Free<\/em> includes Sophie Pierce, Janine Williams, Polly Zipperlen, and Miyah Periam. Finally, Ruby Coates and Steffan Evans make up the pair Waves to Awareness<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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