RACE FACTS
Men's World Record
Latitude 35
30 Days, 8 Hours, 30 Mins
Mixed World Record
Pacific Discovery
34 Days, 5 Hours, 22 Minutes
Women's World Record
Latitude 35
34 Days, 14 Hours, 11 Mins
THE PREPARATION
Together, the team will complete 5,568 hours of physical training to prepare for the row.
In preparation for the row across the Pacific, the team must train their bodies and minds. Preparation includes:
Physical Training:
The team is working with Gus Barton, a world-class ocean rowing trainer, to increase strength, endurance, and mobility prior to the row.
Ocean Training:
Coached by world-record holding ocean rowing specialist, Duncan Roy, the team will be prepared to conquer challenging conditions and scenarios.
Mental Training:
Through a variety of psychological training tactics, the team is preparing for the mental challenges brought on by the extended time at sea.
Team Building:
Functioning as an optimized unit is critical to the team's success. Therefore, the team has signed on with ocean rowing legend and team-building coach, Sally Kettle. She is leading the team through trust building exercises and helping them develop conflict management plans.
Certifications:
Numerous certifications are required to make sure each team member is prepared for the race. These certifications include, sea survival, first aid at sea, marine radio certificate, navigation and seamanship and more.
THE CROSSING
When the team pushes off the dock in Monterey, they will face a long and grueling journey. Contributing to the physical and mental toll, the challenge could bring 40ft waves, extreme temperatures, storms, marine life encounters, sea sickness, hallucinations and weight loss.
Shift Pattern:
With a shift pattern of alternating 2 hours on the oars and 2 hours off the oars (in which they must eat, clean, maintain or fix equipment, and sleep), each team member will be rowing at least 12 hours a day. Over the course of the challenge, the rowers will never sleep more than 1.5 hours at a time - subjecting them to extreme sleep deprivation.
Food and Hydration:
Collectively, the team will row over 1.5 million strokes. To fuel this, they will aim to eat 5,000 calories of food per day. The crew will make their own water with a solar powered water-maker, which aims to produce at least 10L per day. On average, ocean rowers lose 25lbs while at sea.
Support:
The Pacific Challenge is an unsupported race, meaning the crew must be entirely self-sufficient. All the food, supplies, and equipment that will be required for the duration of the 30-60 days at sea, must be brought on board at the start of the race. There will be an Atlantic Campaign's support yacht that crosses at the same time as the competitors. Each team will get a visit from the yacht during the crossing (to say hello and take photos), but any assistance results in disqualification.
Communication:
The team will be able to communicate with their land support team through a SAT phone. They will also have a BGAN that will provide data for communication with friends and family. They will also be in continual contact with the Atlantic Campaigns team to help ensure a safe crossing, and can be tracked by friends, family, and sponsors via a tracking app.
Safety:
Safety is the number one priority for the team and the race organizers. In addition to the communication protocols, the team will bring a long list of safety gear, including a life raft, life jackets, survival suits, EPIRBs, flares, spare electronics, a complete medical kit, ditch bags with water and food etc. All team members will complete sea survival and first aid courses to ensure they are trained to handle even the worst of situations.