The Race History

How it all Started: "In 1966 Sir Chay Blyth CBE BEM rowed across the North Atlantic with John Ridgway from Cape Cod on the North American Coastline to Ireland. Their epic journey took place in a 20ft open dory named the "English Rose III" and during their 92 day passage they faced hurricanes, 50ft waves and a near starvation diet. Their voyage was a challenge, a test of strength and endurance and an opportunity that just had to be taken up". - from Woodvale published information. Since that epic voyage there have been 160 successful crews to successfully cross the Atlantic, less than the number of people to have climbed Everest. The popularity of the race itself has increased recently, with strong media interest for the 2005 race which included double olympic medal holder James Cracknell and TV presenter Ben Foggle, crossing in a magnificent time of 49 days, 19 hours and 08 minutes. Their journey, both up to the start line and across, was filmed and shown in this years BBC documentary, "Through Hell and High Water". Race Organiser - Woodvale Events (Now Woodvale Challenge) Woodvale Events was formed in 1999 by Simon Chalk, himself a former Atlantic Rowing Race competitor, to organise and manage his own personal ocean adventures. Under the management of Woodvale Events, Simon went on to become the first British person ever to row across the Indian Ocean. He rowed a massive 3,100 nm single handed from Kalbarri, Western Australia arriving at Reunion Island some 107 days later. After Simon's return to the UK, Woodvale Events took the title sponsorship position for the Atlantic Rowing Race 2003, organised by Sir Chay Blyth's Challenge Business. Soon after the start of the Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race 2003, Woodvale Events announced that it was purchasing the future Challenge Business ocean rowing races consisting of the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005 and the Ocean Fours Rowing Race. Almost 60% of Atlantic crossings, to date, have been part of a Woodvale event, they continue to be the prominent race organiser for this extreme challenge and are now known as Woodvale Challenge Ltd after a re-structure in 2007.