Team Swiss Raw from Switzerland won the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2021 with a top time of 34 days, 23 hours and 42 minutes. The four-man team consisting of Ingvar Groza, Samuel Widmer, Roman Möckli and Jan Hurni, is the first winner from a country without access to the sea. We asked Samuel about their success and the challenges of the teams that start on Dec. 12, 2022.
The Atlantic Challenge 2022 is coming soon! This is the everyday life of the teams
There are about 3 weeks left until the start of the Challenge, the boat is already on its way to La Gomera, what is on the teams’ agenda right now?
Now they are home for another week. We personally still worked there and continued our training. Along the way, we packed and completed the last administrative tasks. Two weeks before the race start of the Atlantic Challenge 2022 on 12.12.2022, they will then fly to La Gomera.
What are the teams doing in La Gomera in the last days until the race starts?
There are briefings from the organizer Atlantic Campaigns. In these, the regulations and safety provisions will be discussed again. Then the teams must have the material checked and stowed in the boat. The boat must be cleaned and polished. They need to plan a strategy with their weather router and, of course, get some rest and training.
What tips would you give the teams now?
It’s not quite that simple. I don’t know what is already done and what is not yet done. Basically, they should go full throttle for the first few weeks of Atlantic Challenge 2022 and get everything possible done so they can focus more on themselves in the second week. In the second week they have to talk to the team again about everything and try to recover. Don’t go crazy!!! Take it easy!
What goes through the teams’ minds at the start of the race?
For one thing, a huge weight falls off your shoulders. Finally we are off! So many years of preparation, setbacks and not knowing if you can actually launch.
On the other hand, you are very excited and nervous. In the end, you have no idea what to expect.
Your participation in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2021
Congratulations again for winning last year! Did you expect to be the fastest team to arrive in Antigua?
Victory was the goal. It is very un-Swiss to communicate this so openly, I know.
We all believed in a victory. Always!! All the nicer that it worked. But we also always gave 120% and suffered a lot.
What was the secret to your success?
Our will!! The team spirit for which we had to put our egos aside!!! Our meticulous preparation and training. Finally, our ability to suffer without complaining or in the words of Marc: we learned to become comfortable with the uncomfortable;) Oh, of course, our humor, which we have never lost:)
Did you have any rowing experience or experience on the high seas before you decided to participate?
No. When we decided to participate in 2018, we had never rowed before. While there are some long-time rowers, this is quite normal. I am sure that there will be some newcomers at the Atlantic Challenge 2022.
How did you prepare physically for the race? Did you have special trainers?
We had a rowing coach and a strength and conditioning coach. During the week we trained around 15h.
How did you finance your race?
Like most teams, we financed our race through sponsorships. The berth on Lake Lucerne was particularly worthwhile. Club members there contributed no small amount to our budget.
We at Team Not Today are always looking for sponsors and supporters. You can find all information how to support us here
What were the biggest challenges on board? Were there any technical problems or mental difficulties?
There were countless challenges on board. Most were mental in nature. Of course, you also had to repair things on the boat or you also had physical problems, but the psyche was already very challenged.
What memories have stayed with you to this day?
Haha, I could write down countless ones! There are so many impressions, stories, ups and downs.
I still have one situation in front of my eyes like yesterday. Ingvar had left his headphones in La Gomera. Courteous as he is, it took weeks for me, Samuel, to notice and offer to share my headphones with him. One he got and one I got. True, he was bound to my taste in music, but at least he had something on his ears at all.
It came as it had to come. In a strong swell, Samuel lost one of the headphones. Now the problem was serious! How were we going to get through the rest of the time without audio accompaniment? Talking to the team, it turned out that Roman, who overheard our plight, had two pairs of headphones with him. But he did not want to hand over the second pair cheaply. After hard bargaining, we agreed that I would give him one of the last tangerine cans for the headphones.
This example nicely shows how the value blurs at sea. The headphones are worth almost 200 € on land, the tangerine can maybe two. But in the psychological extreme situation, the value equalizes. The value of the moment of pleasure increases tremendously.
Are there any other projects coming up in the future?
Nothing is planned yet. But it grabbed us and I think there will be more projects. At the moment, however, I still have projects in the adventure country of Switzerland and its mountains and gorges.
