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PRESS RELEASE - Oarsome Rowers Reach Half Way in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009
After 34 days at sea and a mammoth 1,566 of the most testing nautical miles, the leading boat in the inaugural Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009, Boat No. 7 ‘Bexhill Trust Challenger’ has crossed the half way mark.
Britons, Phil McCorry (24), Nick McCorry (25), Matt Hellier (20) and Ian Allen (25) from Bexhill, East Sussex set off from Geraldton, Australia on the 19 April 2009. Along with nine other crews in three different classes (Solo, Pairs and Fours classes), Bexhill Trust Challenger aim to row a total of 3,132 nautical miles across the gruelling Indian Ocean, to the beautiful Island of Mauritius and in the quickest possible time.
Locked in a fierce battle for pole position with British female Fours team, Boat No. 13 ‘Pura Vida’ and the New Zealand Fours entry, Boat No. 5 ‘Rowing for Prostate, the lead has jostled back and forth between these top three crews since the very start.
At this, the half way mark, routing tactics are coming into play as Bexhill Trust Challenger, the only team to take a Northerly course, have been able to capitalise on better weather systems that only they are currently experiencing.
Localised weather patterns and confused currents can make all the difference between positive and negative progress towards the finish line, as Sarah Duff (26), Fiona Waller (34), Jo Jackson (28) and Elin Haf Davies (32) from London know only too well. With a 100 nautical mile lead over the Bexhill Trust Challenger team until they hit a negative weather system a week ago, the Ocean Angels have been forced to watch their lead disappear as the British boys overtook them.
With three of the four Ocean Angels having already successfully rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 2007, the more experienced female crew onboard Pura Vida are now playing the waiting game. Having taken a more Southerly route, they hope to make the most of the Southeasterly trade winds in the closing stages of the race, to help them navigate towards the Island of the Mauritius.
As the lead boats cross the half way mark, the Pairs and Solo crews are just approaching the first 1,000 nautical miles.
With half the crossing still to go, in a race of this kind where anything can happen the competition is still wide open and an exciting finish is guaranteed.