Irish rowing team sets record after crossing Atlantic

An Irish team has set a new record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic by a team of five rowers, rowing from the Canary Islands to Antigua in 33 days 12 hours and 38 minutes.

Tom Nolan, Diarmuid Ó Briain, Shane Culleton, Gearoid O'Briain and Derek McMullen crossed the finish line of the The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge yesterday evening.

Rowing under a team name, 'Row Hard or Go Home', they set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on 12 December 2022.

They broke the previous record set by 'The Ocean 5' team, who completed the same race in 35 days 19 hours and 50 minutes in 2019.

"I think we found a rainbow in each other, through the hard times we backed each other up and I'm just so proud to be involved with four amazing individuals like these guys beside me, and I wouldn't row an ocean with anybody else," Diarmuid Ó Briain said, as they stood on the podium after the race.

Gearoid O'Briain described how they just three days in they had "difficulties with the boat" and said members of the team, and in particular team mate Derek McMullen "kept the boat moving forward".

"We kept our eye on the target and worked together as a team," Mr O'Briain said.

"We put a lot of effort in to get ourselves to the start line in good shape and it all started to come out and pay off," he added.

When asked if the race was tough Tom Nolan said "it certainly was, on Christmas Day and the day before and after, we were in big storms and missing our families".

The team could be heard singing 'The Wild Rover' as they approached Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua.

They were greeted by family and friends when they climbed off the boat that had been their home for the last month.

The team raised money for the RNLI & Laura Lynn Children's Hospice.

The