Back in October, we were thrilled to announce the news that a group of amazing men will be rowing across the Atlantic in 2024 to raise funds and awareness for us! Team SeaSoar, aka John, Niall and Sam, will be rowing 3,000 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua, battling waves up to 20 feet high! The challenge is a deeply personal one for team member, John, as his daughter, Yasmin, suffers from chronic Lyme disease, having been bitten by a tick four years ago.
Every December, over 40 boats gather to race across the Atlantic Ocean in rowing boats. It’s an incredible event and all of the competitors fund their challenges with advertising and raise money for various charities through sponsorships. In the past 4 years, the race has raised over £5 million for charities like us!
Last week, Team SeaSoar were delighted to escape the UK’s wintry conditions and travel out to the Canary Island of La Gomera to see off this year’s competitors! It was a huge next step in their campaign to see this year’s race start and meet all of the race organisers! What a way to give them a taste for what’s in store for 2024! Thank you to the team for modelling our t-shirts in this brilliant photo!
Team SeaSoar even got to step aboard their rowing boat for 2024, which has very aptly been named ‘Oardrey’! Thanks to this photo, we can see they’re already looking right at home!
Oardrey is being kept very busy, as she’s being used by another team this year, before she is handed over to Team SeaSoar! Team Emotive are raising money for a very worthwhile cause: Veterans At Ease, which supports army veterans with PTSD. Team SeaSoar member John told us: “The highlight of our trip was saying bon voyage to Oardrey and Team Emotive, and the sobering and exhilarating thought that this will be us in 24 months!”
We’ll be thinking of Team Emotive over the next six weeks, as they row for two hours on and two hours off until they reach Antigua! Take a look at the video below to see team Emotive and Oardrey being waved off! Our very own Team SeaSoar were proud to capture the event on camera!
As Team SeaSoar arrive back in the UK, they look ahead to 2023 which will see their training stepping up a gear! Rowing across the Atlantic is no easy feat physically or mentally, and the team will be very busy with practical ocean rowing coaching and personal training sessions throughout the year!
If all this has got you feeling inspired, please do think about supporting our team! Team SeaSoar are self-funding their entrance fee to the race in 2024, but are looking for sponsorship to raise money for LDUK as their chosen charity, and pay for other essentials. You can read about the wonderful sponsorship opportunities on offer via their sponsorship brochure.
Thank you so much again to Team SeaSoar for taking on this gargantuan challenge and we look forward to publishing more updates in 2023!