The Talisker Atlantic Challenge 2022 is on its way. It started on the 12th of December in La Gomera. The Challenge takes 43 teams 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. With estimated arrival times in Antigua 30 to 80 days later, we will keep this article up-to-date with all the latest news and tracking information for you!
The Talisker Atlantic Challenge 2022 Tracker
Follow the race with the tracker provided by the YB Tracking Race Viewer.
Table of Contents
- The Talisker Atlantic Challenge 2022 Tracker
- 2023/02/14 10:57 – Most of the Race arrived, and multiple records
- 2023/01/16 01:04 – Ocean Cats, the winners of the Atlantic Challenge 2022
- 2023/01/11 18:24 – The First boats will arrive in the next couple of days
- 2023/01/03 11:25 – Holiday Celebrations, One Rescue, and 9+ meter swells
- 2022/12/20 14:38 – Eight Days of Dolphins, Whales, Sharks, Birds, and Marlins
- 2022/12/12 12:40 – Race Start in La Gomera
- 2022/12/10 15:00 – Last Preparations
2023/02/14 10:57 – Most of the Race arrived, and multiple records
The race has been on for more than two months, and a mind-boggling 115,605 nautical miles (ca 214,100 km) have been rowed. In total, the rowers circumvented the world more than five times. There are 3,694 nautical miles (6,800 km) to cross for three tough solo rowers.
The most recent addition to the record book is Miriam Payne, the fastest female solo rower ever. At the age of only 23 years, she crossed the Atlantic in 59 days, 16 hours and 35 minutes, being 2 hours and 38 minutes faster than her predecessor. Furthermore, there has been a new world record for the BOKA NEDurance team. With 32 days, 23 hours & 53 minutes, they are the fastest mixed four. Row hard and Go Home 5 managed to be the fastest five with 33 days, 12 hours and 39 minutes. The Dark Trio team managed to grab a record for being the faster trio with 35 days, 1 hour and 33 minutes. After the Ocean Cats from Spain managed to win the men’s class, Full Throttle from Ireland won the women’s class with a mesmerizing 42 days, 7 hours and 58 minutes.
While the rest of the teams are still facing harsh conditions and enjoying humpback whales or feeding the fish, the race safety inspectors are already reflecting on this year’s performances and adapting the guidelines for the pacific race and our participation in the Atlantic Race this December. Some teams had significant flaws in their knowledge of the ocean and their equipment.
One last update, the rescued team Fight Oar Die is back on shore in the USA, and everybody is reunited with their respective families. As usual, the updates have been summarized from Atlantic Campaign’s excellent coverage on their Facebook Page.
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2023/01/16 01:04 – Ocean Cats, the winners of the Atlantic Challenge 2022
The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2022 was won by the Spanish team OceanCats Atlantic Rowing, who crossed the finish line in 31 days, 17 hours, and 9 minutes. They were the first Spanish team to win the challenge and were in the lead from Day 19 until the end. They faced challenges, such as their centreboard breaking in half, but regained control of the boat. They rowed to raise awareness for the Surfrider Foundation Europe.
The second-place team was Team This Way Up, a British and Dutch team, who finished in 32 days, 13 hours, and 23 minutes as predicted by the tracker. They raised an astounding €230,000 for Starlight Children’s Foundation and $100,000 for the Island Academy. The third-place team was The FriendShip Atlantic, a team of brothers who completed the challenge in 32 days, 20 hours, and 18 minutes. They were the first four brothers to row the Atlantic and took on the challenge to strengthen their bonds of brotherhood. They raised money for the Drive Forward Foundation, Friends of Kiwoko Hospital & Churches Housing Action Team.
BOKA Team NEDurance, a mixed four from the Netherlands, set a new record for the Fastest Mixed Four to cross the Atlantic Ocean, completing the challenge in 32 days, 23 hours, and 53 minutes. They raised awareness and funds for The Ocean Cleanup and raised €30,000.
Row Hard or Go Home 5, a team of five from Ireland, set a new record for the Fastest Team of Five to cross the Atlantic Ocean, completing the challenge in 33 days, 12 hours, and 39 minutes. They raised money for the Laura Lynn Foundation & RNLI and raised €43,080. Additionally, the American team Shut Up & Row, an all-veteran crew, were the fastest all-American crew ever to row an ocean. They raised money and awareness for their charity the Big Fish Foundation.
The last team that arrived, Atlantic Endeavoar, a British and Belgian team, completed the Atlantic Challenge 2022 in 33 days, 23 hours, and 24 minutes. They raised money for their charity, but it wasn’t specified in the update.
According to the race tracker, the team Dark Trio will arrive in Antigua next.
2023/01/11 18:24 – The First boats will arrive in the next couple of days
The race for the Atlantic Rowing Challenge is heating up as the end of the competition is in sight. The leading team, Ocean Cats, is scheduled by the tracker to come in on Thursday, 12th January, at 22:00 local time (UTC -4). For some teams, this week marks the halfway point of their Atlantic Challenge 2022.
Among the teams, we have the Boat of Hope, Bernie, who is making steady progress despite some steering issues. The oceans Atlantic Rowing team is set to be the overall winner of the World’s Toughest Row and the first Spanish team to win the race.
The Rowhardorgohome (4) team is doing well, reaching its charity donation goal. Rowhardorgohome (5) is pushing hard to achieve a World Record. The Shut up and Row team is getting close to the finish line and thinking about their first meal on land.
The Guardian Initiatives team is well-positioned for their approach to Antigua, despite some technical issues. The Tikkurila team, though not racing, is second in the pairs class and 21st overall. The Dark Trio team gives 110% until they cross the finish line. The Team This Way Up team has raised a fantastic £200k for their charity.
The Ocean Calling – Linda for Atlanteren team has struggled with unhelpful conditions but remains optimistic. The Status Code 14 team has been affected by lack of sleep and the swell but continues to push forward. The HMS Oardacious team had an incredible whale encounter that was the size of their boat.
The Atlantic Girls team is in high spirits, having recently celebrated crossing the Atlantic with a special snack pack. They saw a shark and even had a baby squid jump on board. The Team Emotive team has recently had power issues on board which has been frustrating. They describe the weather conditions as both terrifying and fantastic at the same time. One member, Jason, had a seagull land on his head mid-row.
The Team Roaring40s team has been struggling with salt sores which can be incredibly uncomfortable. They boost morale by celebrating Fridays with ‘Fri-yays’ and treating themselves to Pringles. They also saw a shark pass by their boat, which was an incredible moment for them. The Fight Oar Die team has just reached dry land and is completing the formalities before officially confirming they have been repatriated. They will update everyone once the team is safely back home with their families.
The FriendShip Atlantic team is nearing the end of their journey. They talk of the moonlight at night illuminating their way to Antigua. The donations to their charity have inspired them to push hard and row. Their supporters will be coming out en masse to welcome them across the finish line.
The Kiwi Warrioars team’s weather conditions have calmed and settled into an intense routine. Every morning they clean the deck as they get hit by flying fish during the night. Despite attempts to fix their water maker, it is still broken, so they have spent hours hand-pumping their water on top of their rowing hours.
The Nothing Ventured Campaign team’s Jaimie just celebrated crossing the halfway mark. After a tough week, this was a fantastic morale booster. He has kept his mindset positive by setting small achievable goals for himself. Taking breaks on the onboard beanbag has also been a mood booster.
The Seas the Day team’s Miriam starts her day every morning by listening to her Spotify playlist. The ocean has calmed down, and she is in great spirits. When she passed a third of the way, she treated herself to a chocolate orange and an IrnBru. The This Girl Rows team’s Lara has felt every emotion under the sun while experiencing the highs and lows of this ocean crossing. She has seen incredible wildlife, including dolphins, three whales, and turtles. She says that moments like this make the tough days worthwhile.
The But a Dream team’s Rosie celebrated her 42nd birthday at sea this week. A unique and unforgettable celebration. They recently took their second dip in the Atlantic to clean the boat. The barnacles that attach create drag and slow down the boat, and they clean off barnacles up to 5cm. They described the strong seas they were hit with as “fireballs to the side of the boat.”
The Dragonfish Row team finds that some things about ocean rowing can only be learned mid-expedition. They had to go on para-anchor for four days which was mentally challenging in the heat, but they recently passed the halfway point. On Fridays, they have dress-down Fridays (as nature intended) and Sundays are “Sing-a-long Sundays.”
The Minds Matter – Atlantic Challenge 2022 team’s batteries ultimately died after a power outage. The duo only had one solar panel to charge the vital comms system and had to hand pump their water. They say that “Mindset is absolutely everything out here! It’s important to see how far we have come and not how far we have to go!”
The Ambrose Buoys team is tired, but the calmer weather gives them some well-needed reparation. They described the brutal conditions they faced as a “contact sport.” There are blistered hands and battered shins. One of the team members aboard hallucinated that a dry bag they had on deck was a roast chicken.
The In Our Element team has renewed energy after a tough and emotional week. Better weather and flatter seas have allowed them to dip in the Atlantic to clean their boat. They’ve discovered that the best boat snack is a Crunchie chocolate bar dipped in peanut butter.
The Atlantic Body & Soul team is now speeding towards the finish line with the wind behind them. The harsh conditions have meant they’ve battled the weather, sores, exhaustion and terrifying waves. They are giving it all they have as they approach the end of their crossing as they want a strong finish they can be proud of.
The Engineers team is now taking care of their bodies and tending to their salt sores as the seas have calmed. The Ocean Spirit team of four has had some bad days, with the wrong wind, too many waves and low speed. They are keeping up the team morale with hot drinks. They’ve had flying fish leap onto the boat and sometimes hit them in the head! Recently they were on a collision course with another ship and had to radio the vessel.
The Atlantic Endeavour team’s beards and tans look strong aboard this boat! They dream of beers, burgers and a comfy boat. They said, “It seems that each week and day, the ocean presents us with a new challenge. Although it is sometimes painful at the moment, it has been satisfying to come through these together as a team.”
The ocean_dadventure team’s Steve recently celebrated his birthday aboard a tiny boat in the middle of the Atlantic. The conditions they are in are excellent for progress, but it isn’t easy to do simple things that make a cup of tea. They recently cleaned the hull from barnacles – which can slow down the boat up to 25% and said that it was a joy to get into the water.
Raring to Row: This team focuses on the finish line, working hard to make the end of their journey as smooth as possible by maintaining a consistent boat routine. They have had some exciting moments, like spotting what they thought was a shark but turned out to be a tuna fish.
Mr & Mrseas: They have been making significant progress after receiving a visit from a Safety Yacht to fix their broken tiller arm and rudder. They enjoy the beautiful sunrise shifts and the return of flying fish, although one hit Nina in the eye.
Two-Inna-Row: They have been hit by a rogue wave that caused their BGAN to go overboard, making them unable to send footage back. They still have essential communication lines open, and the weather looks more favourable. They are motivated by messages from loved ones.
Row Full Throttle: They are facing low power to charge electronics due to cloudy conditions, but they are still in good spirits and are working to prioritize essential safety equipment. They have even been rowing without music.
Rowforchange: This duo is nearing the end of their journey and is in high spirits after passing the halfway mark. They have been experiencing beautiful sunrises and sunsets and have had to deal with the constant presence of flying fish.
The Atlantic Grappler: Mike, rowing solo, is making significant progress and taking the difficult conditions in stride. He keeps a positive mindset and uses perspective as his greatest superpower.
Arabian Ocean Rowing Team: This team is entertaining itself by dancing while rowing and is very excited to be nearing the finish line. They cleaned the boat and were in awe of the ocean below them.
Atlantic Guardsmen – Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2022: They face the typical aches and pains of rowing the Atlantic and have raw and blistered hands. However, the weather has improved, and they are maintaining their schedule.
Rowmodels DK: This team is in a more stable easterly wind zone which is favourable. They have had to keep an eye on repairing their tiller arm, but the fix has allowed them to regain the ability to steer their boat. They are enjoying the beautiful sunrises.
Team NEDurance: This team’s favourite moment was seeing 30 dwarf whales pass by their boat. They are bartering snacks to satisfy cravings and keep morale high.
Dream Boats: This duo lost their rudder during the night but was able to replace it with a spare, duct tape, and beeswax. They keep a positive attitude and stay calm under pressure.
Strokes for Blokes: They are making everyone’s food for the day in the morning to save on cooking during shifts. They are in good spirits but feeling the heat as they approach the finish line.
We can recommend you to follow the race tracker closely for the next couple of days, as the teams approach safe harbour in Antigua
2023/01/03 11:25 – Holiday Celebrations, One Rescue, and 9+ meter swells
These past few weeks have been unforgettable for the teams out on the Atlantic, celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve on their boats. It’s been a rough ride with some crazy 9+ meter (30-foot) swells and a lot of time spent on the para anchors trying to ride out the rough seas.
In a scary moment, Team Fight or Die had to call for help after their boat capsized in the Atlantic Challenge. But don’t worry, a freighter called the Hanze Goteborg heard their mayday call and came to the rescue! They’re safe and sound now and on their way to Canada. A few other teams have also had some capsizes and broken oars, and nearly everyone is dealing with technical issues with their equipment in the Atlantic Challenge.
But even with all the challenges, the wildlife in the Atlantic continues to amaze the teams. They’ve seen 2-meter (6-foot) sharks, orcas, turtles, dolphins, marlins, and all sorts of birds swimming and flying alongside their boats in the Atlantic Challenge. As they get closer to the end of the race, they’re starting to crave some of their favorite foods, but they packed some special treats for the holidays to hold them over.
Despite everything, the teams are holding strong and, with the help of the support vessels, are staying in good spirits in the Atlantic Challenge. Team Ocean Cats is leading the pack with only 1,343 kilometers (834 nautical miles) left to go. The first seven teams have already passed the 1,609 kilometers (1,000-mile) mark and are on track to arrive in Antigua on January 26th after 44 days at sea in the Atlantic Challenge. The solo boats are lagging a bit, with Ocean Calling coming in last at 709 kilometers (441 nautical miles) so far in the Atlantic Challenge. The race pairs are currently being led by Dream Boats, with 2,097 kilometers (1,308 miles) left in the Atlantic Challenge.
Atlantic Campaigns is posting its full race reports on their Facebook page
2022/12/20 14:38 – Eight Days of Dolphins, Whales, Sharks, Birds, and Marlins
The first eight days, 192 hours of rowing are over. Most teams had a calm start into the event, only battling sea sickness. They reported fabulous animal sightings. From whales to dolphins, the boats were accompanied by the beautiful animals of the ocean. The Ambrose Buoys even saw a two-meter-long shark.
For some teams, even the first few days brought unexpected complications. Unfavorable wind conditions forced some boats to use their para-anchor, an underwater parachute designed to keep the boat in place in bad conditions. Team Emotive experienced this year’s first marlin attack. Thankfully, they could continue, and nobody was harmed. Interestingly, Team Shut Up and Row have a curious but annoying bird following them around.
Currently, the fleet is led by the Team This way up. They rowed 683 nautical miles (1300 km), leaving them with 2020 (3750 km) until Antigua. The difference between the fastest and slowest boat is already 503 nautical miles (950 km).
2022/12/12 12:40 – Race Start in La Gomera
The big day is here! The 43 teams, 127 rowers from 17 different countries, are getting on the oars and heading out to the open sea. With cloudy conditions at 17° C, they start in pleasant conditions, hoping never to face the storms and waves that can challenge the teams later in the race. Starting with the largest boats fitting five rowers, the solos are last to get to the starting line.
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2022/12/10 15:00 – Last Preparations
As the race day approaches, the teams face final preparations. As team Swiss Raw, winners of 2021, have written in their interview, the last days consists of training sessions, briefings by the organizer, and equipment checks with the official list of the Atlantic Campaigns officials. Most teams arrived in La Gomera one to two weeks before the race started.
