World’s toughest row 2024
A unique atmosphere
The premier event in ocean rowing; the world’s toughest row. A challenge that will take rowers more than 5000 km west of the Canary Island La Gomera to Antigua. The annual race begins in early December, with up to 30 teams from around the world taking part.
Mark smashed the previous solo world record by 19 days in 2017 by arriving in Antigua after 30 days, 7 hours and 49 minutes!
Teams battle with sleep deprivation, seasickness, salt troubles and physical extremes affected by the race. Rowers are left with their own thoughts, battling tough conditions like strong winds and high waves and the immense job of getting themselves and the boat safely to the other side.
Mark’s race 2017
Mark started the race in good spirits but encountered challenging circumstances, which was right up his alley. Besides being competitive, dedicated, mentally and physically strong, having his mom on his mind during the race, who is battling cancer, was a big motivation. Mark crushed the previous solo world record by 19 days, arriving in Antigua after 30 days, 7 hours and 49 minutes! Just behind The Four Oarsmen, the fastest ever team (29 days, 14 hours and 14 minutes) and beating most other foursome teams. He dedicated this extraordinary achievement to his mother.Deze buitengewone prestatie droeg hij op aan zijn moeder.
charity
The World Toughest Row creates an international platform for each team to raise funds for its charity of choice. Each team or individual can choose a charity that is close to their heart which, more often than not, provides them with the ability to persist and remain motivated during the darker days at sea. Mark, as founder of ‘Row 4 Cancer’, raised €44,321 in the 2017-2018 edition with his mom being his biggest motivation, not only to cross the Atlantic, but also to win this race! During the 2018-2019 Golden Globes edition Mark has raised €53,260 for the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek foundation and during the 2020-2021 World’s Toughest Row edition Mark together with Kai raised another €76,000 for the Maarten van der Weijden foundation. Since 2013 the participants of The Worlds Toughest Row have collectively raised just over €9.3 million for charities worldwide. The 2018 race has seen the highest amount of funds on a per race basis totaling nearly €3.1 million!
environment
Atlantic Campaigns (AC) are acutely aware that they are hosting this event in Mother Nature’s back garden and they are committed to minimizing impact on the marine environment. An example of this is their race rule regarding litter. AC knows how much food each team has taken on board their vessel, and when they reach Antigua, AC manually counts each rubbish bag back out of the boat and puts them into the bin. If teams do not return with the correct amount of rubbish, they are disqualified from the race. The obvious use of oars vs engine, solar energy vs fossil fuel and desalination vs fresh water are also key displays of how this race and the sport offer an environmentally friendly opportunity to participate responsibly in an extreme sport.
race facts
Every year, remarkable people achieve remarkable things by rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. No year is the same. Brand new stories emerge every year. From charitable funds raised to wildlife sightings to world records achieved – the facts are constantly being updated in our ever-evolving sport.
