About TEAM Not Today
We are the team NOT TODAY! We are competing in the pairs class of the World’s Toughest Race 2023, aiming to row 4800 kilometres across the Atlantic. The team “ Not Today Row“ consists of Janik Prottung and Danny Schleicher.
In 2012, we graduated from the same high school in Heidelberg, Germany. Janik went on to study physics, Danny became an electronics technician. In 2019, Danny and Janik met again in Bali. They talked about dreams and plans for the future. Surprisingly, Janik was the first person who didn’t flinch when Danny told him about his idea to row the Atlantic. That day, a crazy idea was born.
When the 2020 race started, Janik sent Danny a message asking if the idea of rowing an ocean together was still alive. By January 2021 team NOT TODAY was signed up for the World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic 2023.
We are often asked about the name of our team. Why “NOT TODAY”? The answer lies in the question. Why not today? Today’s the day to pursue your dreams.
Danny
Hi, I’m Danny! Born and raised in Germany by an Indonesian mum and German dad. I’ve been living in Indonesia for the past 4 years.
My life changed when I left Germany in 2015 to go explore the world. I had just completed my apprenticeship and booked flights to Bangkok. What started out as a five-month backpacking trip turned into a year. I visited every country in Southeast Asia and worked on a farm in Western Australia.
In 2016, I helped my parents sell their house in Germany. In 2017, we moved to Indonesia with the plan to establish a company for energy efficiency projects in Asia.
I have spent the last five years trying to find out what my mind and body are capable of. After I participated in the Tokyo Marathon 2019, I created a new vision board with places I wanted to see, goals I wanted to achieve and adventures I wanted to take on.
What used to be a dream was suddenly a real goal. Rowing the Atlantic Ocean.
Janik
Growing up in Germany and now living in Munich, the ocean has not played a major part in my life so far. A vacation here, some diving there, not really what you would expect from a guy registering for an adventure like this.
So, why did I register? After more than 15 years of team sports, I decided in 2019 as I was heading into the world for a 10-month sabbatical that my career is over. Still, born in 1994, with 27 years my sports life is just getting to its full potential.
While travelling and enjoying earth and culture, Danny planted a seed into my head large enough to transform me from doing sports for the public to achieving inhumanly things with my body.
As a Co-founder of a company and master student in physics, I cannot wait to explore another me, one that tackles mental and corporal challenges way above what I have ever done before and all that while raising money to provide an education to children around the world.
What an unreal possibility!
