atlantic rowing

In this series of "pop-up" livestreams, we're spotlighting some of the intrepid crews from the 2021-22 Atlantic Challenge, in the run-up to our March 8 Ocean Rowing episode.

Stuart Shepherd tells the story of "Wrekin Rowers." For 40+ days, Shepherd, along with Martin Skehan, Stuart Richards & Gary Richards, all in their 50's, rowed the 3000+ miles across the Atlantic Ocean to benefit two UK charities, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and Severn Hospice.

#oceanrowing
#atlanticchallenge
#pacificboys
#foarfromhome
#prowjectx
#wrekinrowers
#foarfromhome
#rowingpodcast
#rowing

Ep 8. Most of us have done a little bit of charity fundraising at some point in our lives - we've maybe run a 5K or given up alcohol for a few weeks or completed an erg challenge. Most of us haven't raised £42 million for charity. My guest this week, the amazing Bernie Hollywood OBE, has done just that alongside an incredibly demanding career as a banker.  This extraordinarily driven man has run 150 marathons, trekked to both Poles, crossed deserts, and is now planning to row the Atlantic on his own.

Equally importantly, he's just taken up the position of Foundation Manager of Love Rowing - British Rowing's new charitable foundation aimed at increasing diversity and inclusivity in rowing. I was so delighted when Bernie agreed to come on the show as his values align so much with those of Girl on the River, and I was keen to quiz him about exactly what Love Rowing is all about.

In this episode we discuss:

• What motivates Bernie to be such a prolific fundraiser and how it all began
• Why he always refers to his charity challenges as "adventures"
• Bernie's ethos
• Love Rowing - its aims and objectives and how it will work
• How rowing makes a difference in young people's lives
• Bernie's next adventure - the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic challenge 
• The innovations Bernie is introducing to his Atlantic row
• Bernie's ambitions to raise £1 million for Love Rowing and the Samaritans

You can find out all about Love Rowing on its website, here, and on Twitter at @LoveRowing_BRCF. All enquiries about Love Rowing and Bernie's fundraising should be directed to info@loverowing.org.

Bernie's website is here.

The British Rowing Inclusive Club Guide that Bernie refers to can be downloaded here.

The artist who is designing the artwork covering Bernie's boat for the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge is Justin Eagleton.

The number for the Samaritans is 116 123 (it's free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year). They also have a self-help app where you can keep track of how you're feeling, and get recommendations for things you can do to help yourself cope, feel better and stay safe in a crisis.

Ep 2.  Why would anyone row the Atlantic, risking sharks, jellyfish, storms and waves the size of a house? And why, in particular, would a 50-something lady with a rare form of pneumonia take on such an extreme challenge? Could it be a cunning plan to avoid a season of erg tests or is there more to it than that?
In this second episode, Girl on the River talks to her friend and crewmate, Elaine Theaker, who in 2018 rowed the Atlantic in a trio, successfully completing the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge and picking up two Guinness World Records along the way.
Elaine tells Patricia about:

• her unsporty start in life and how in middle age rowing got under her skin
• the extraordinary and all-consuming steps needed to prepare for the Atlantic challenge
• her own health challenges with cryptogenic organising pneumonia
• getting to know her Atlantic shipmates
• the challenging start to the race
• the routine on board
• seeing dolphins under a full moon
• the horrific final 24 hours
• what she learned from the challenge
• getting her name in the Guinness Book of Records

Her adventures were made into a musical - Atlantic Ladies, the Play - which you can find on YouTube in two parts:
Part 1
Part 2

If you're enjoying the podcast and would like early access to episodes plus all sorts of cool, bonus material, check out Girl on the River's patreon scheme - you'll be helping to keep the show on the road as the costs of running a podcast are mounting!