By Samuel Peters
With 21 days already spent at sea, 38 teams from nine different countries consisting of male, female, solos, pairs, trios, fours, fives and mixed teams rowed their way into the New Year across the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, dubbed ‘the world’s toughest challenge.’
In the lead is the only five-man team HMS Oardacious from the UK which is estimated to arrive on January 19, 2024.
In second place is Team Out of the Blue from the Netherlands, which is in first position of 12 teams in the four-man category. Team Out of the Blue is expected to arrive on January 21, 2024.
Blue Task which is also from the UK is currently in sixth position and is first of six in the trio category. Blue Task is estimated to reach Antigua on January 25.
From the pair category which has eight teams, Spirit of Hospitality from the UK is first, and seventh overall with an expected time of arrival on January 26.
Eleven solos are in the race with The Entrepreneur Ship also from the UK leading the group. The Entrepreneur Ship is expected to arrive on January 30, 14th overall.
For the Women’s class, USA’s Salty Science leads the group, and is eighth overall with an estimated time of arrival on January 25.
The only team in the Mixed Class is For Better Oar Worse, also from the UK and ranked in the 36th position. This team is expected to arrive on the 24th of February.
The two-man team, Seas the Moments, is currently in last place and is expected to arrive on March 4.
There are 23 teams from the United Kingdom, the US and the Netherlands have three teams apiece, Australia and South Africa have two each, while France, Germany, Ireland, Jersey, and the USVI have one team each.
The rowers left La Gomera, in the Canary Islands on December 13 and are expected to complete a total of 4800 kilometres or 2,600 nautical miles, arriving at the Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua.