Dartmouth Amateur Rowing Club

  Celebrating 140 years of Success 

                      Est 1869

                        Indian Ocean Race

A LATE crew member withdrawal from the first eight to attempt to row an ocean has seen adventurer, pioneer and ocean rower Simon Chalk, aged 36, step in take the seat. Eleven crews; two solos, five pairs, three fours and an eight; are assembled at Geraldton, Western Australia, for the start of the 3,100 nautical mile Indian Ocean Rowing Race due to leave on Sunday (April 19) headed for Mauritius although the eight will not depart until Wednesday (April 22). The eleventh hour inclusion of Chalk has ensured that a truly international crew will have the opportunity of taking on one of the toughest oceans of the world.

The eight includes a Belgian, an Australian, three Brits and three from the USA. They will be rowing the specially adapted 35 foot ocean rowing boat Audeamus, meaning ‘Let us Dare’. One of the crew is Angela Madson, a paraplegic who successfully competed with amputee Frank Festor in the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race crossing in 67 days.

Simon Chalk’s name is synonymous with Ocean Rowing having rowed in the first Atlantic Rowing Race in 1997 with George Rock aboard Cellnet Atlantic Challenger crossing in 64 days 5 hours; he also became the youngest British rower to row the Indian Ocean in 2003 in 107 days aboard True Spirit; in 2008 he was captain of the first five man crew to row the Atlantic crossing in 37 days, 5 hours 50 minutes aboard Oyster Shack Challenger; and has a long association with race organisers Woodvale Challenge Limited by whom he is currently employed.

The race has taken three years to organise following the company’s success in organising six Atlantic Rowing Races. The race has the approval of the Australian authorities having met stringent regulations and based on Woodvale’s exceptional safety record.

Simon Chalk said, “This is a unique opportunity and I am looking forward to being positively involved”.

The crews will be attempting to beat Chalk’s ratified solo record of 107 days. There is an unconfirmed crossing by Anders Svedland in 1974 which is estimated to have taken 67 days.

Also competing in the race will be Tom Wigram, aged 31, who emigrated from Bovey Tracey to New Zealand six years ago to become a builder. He will be a member of the New Zealand four aboard RowforProstate made up of UK ex-pats.

Tom, who’s parents Sue and James still live in Bovey Tracey, is a former Newton Abbot Whites rugby player having spent six years with the club. He is also a former pupil of Woolborough Hill School and Blundells School.

The crew are raising funds for prostate cancer research following crew member Billy Gammon’s father from Trevose, Cornwall, having been diagnosed with the cancer.

Tom said, “Our aim is to get to Mauritius safely. We would love to win but winning for us is getting across. I’m hoping we can do it in 70 days.”

Maddie Steer and Chrissie Bunting of Salcombe who were to compete in the race have switched to the 2,500 nautical mile 2009 Atlantic Rowing Race due to start from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on December 6 headed for Antigua. The pair felt that the delay would give them further time to raise the necessary funding.

Similarly Dave Brooks from Trusham in the Teign Valley, who had signed up to take on the challenge of a lifetime by rowing the Indian Ocean solo, has also switched to the 2009 Atlantic Rowing Race to allow more time to prepare his boat.

ALL TEN crews made the start and got away in the 2009 Indian Ocean Rowing Race which left Geraldton Town Beach, Western Australia, at 11.10am local time (4.10am BST) on Sunday (April 19) headed for Mauritius. Spirits were high amongst the competitors with all in a relaxed mood. And the New Zealand crew stole the limelight as the start hooter was sounded by the Mayor of Geraldton.

Competing in the race is Tom Wigram, 31, who emigrated from Bovey Tracey to New Zealand six years ago to become a builder and he is a member of that New Zealand four aboard Rowing for Prostate made up of UK ex-pats.

It is a known fact that most ocean rowers row naked because of the heat and chaffing between the legs but not until out of sight of land. Male rowers usually wear a sock over their genitals for comfort. However, as the hooter went all four of the New Zealand crew stood up and dropped their shorts to reveal their personal attributes covered in over lengthy socks.

Tom, whose parents Sue and James still live in Bovey Tracey, is a former Newton Abbot rugby player, having spent six years with the club.

The crew are raising funds for prostate cancer research after crew member Billy Gammon's father from Trevose in Cornwall had been diagnosed with the cancer.

Tom said: "Our aim is to get to Mauritius safely. We would love to win but winning for us is getting across. I'm hoping we can do it in 70 days."

Also competing are four rowers from Bexhill Rowing Club who regularly compete at the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta and an all female four, three of whom rowed the Atlantic last year.

The 3,100 nautical mile Indian Ocean Rowing Race, organised by Woodvale Challenge Limited, includes two solos, five pairs and three fours, all in 24 foot ocean rowing boats. Their initial course will take them north-westerly and then to the north of the Abrolhos Islands before heading out into the extremes of the Indian Ocean. The early leaders, and favourites to win, were a four-man Australian crew.

An eight, which will not now be part of the race, is scheduled to leave Geraldton on Wednesday (April 22) in an attempt to break the Indian Ocean rowing record. On board the eight will be a Belgian, an Australian, three Brits and three from the USA.

They will be rowing the specially-adapted 35ft ocean rowing boat Audeamus, meaning 'let us dare'.

Simon Chalk, whose name is synonymous with ocean rowing, will be a late inclusion in the crew.  Chalk rowed in the first Atlantic race in 1997 with George Rock aboard Cellnet Atlantic Challenger – crossing in 64 days and five hours.

He also became the youngest British rower to row the Indian Ocean in 2003 in 107 days aboard True Spirit, and in 2008 he was captain of the first five-man crew to row the Atlantic crossing in 37 days, five hours and 50 minutes aboard Oyster Shack Challenger.

Another member of the crew is Angela Madson, a paraplegic who successfully competed in the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race with amputee Frank Festor, crossing in 67 days.