Ocean rowing
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[[Image:Samuelsen and Harbo and boat.gif|thumb|right|Samuelsen and Harbo, the first ocean rowers]]'''Ocean rowing''' is the sport of [[watercraft rowing|rowing]] across [[oceans]]. The sport is as much a psychological as it is a physical challenge. Rowers often have to endure long periods at sea with help often many days if not weeks away. The challenge is especially acute for solo rowers who are held in especially high esteem within the sport. The history of ocean rowing is sometimes divided into two eras. The first 12 ocean rows are considered "Historic Ocean rows" as they were completed with very limited if any modern technology. The subsequent rows are described as "Modern Day rows"<ref>[http://www.oceanrowing.com/statistics/stats_rows_chronological_order.htm Completed Ocean Rows in Chronological Order] Ocean Rowing Society</ref>.
Despite the now regular rowing races, fewer people have rowed an ocean as of 2006 than have climbed [[Everest]] or been into [[astronaut|Space]].<ref>[http://www.angusadventures.com/oceanrowing.html Ocean Rowing] Angus Adventures</ref>
{{Refimprove|date=December 2006}}
== Atlantic Ocean rowing ==
The first ocean to be deliberately rowed was the [[Atlantic]] by [[Frank Samuelsen and George Harbo]], two Americans born in [[Norway]], in June [[1896]]. The pair left [[Battery Park]], [[Manhattan]] on [[6 June]] [[1896]] arriving in [[Le Havre]], [[France]] 55 days and 13 hours later having covered 3,250 miles. The pair also stopped on the [[Isles of Scilly]] during their journey.<ref name=OceanRowingRecords>[http://www.angusadventures.com/oceanrowing/records.html Ocean Rowing Records] Angus Adventures</ref>
The first deliberate solo crossing of any ocean was completed by [[John Fairfax (rower)|John Fairfax]] of Britain on [[19 July]] [[1969]]. He rowed from [[Gran Canaria]] in the [[Canary Islands]] to [[Hollywood beach]], [[Florida]] in 180 days. In the same year [[Tom McClean]], also of Britain rowed from [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], [[Canada]] arriving in [[Blacksod Bay]], [[Ireland]] on [[27 July]] [[1969]]. Despite having left almost 4 months after Fairfax he came within 8 days of beating Fairfax to the title of first solo rower of any ocean.
On 3 December 1999 [[Tori Murden]] of the USA became the first woman to row any ocean solo when she arrived in [[Guadeloupe]] having set off from [[Tenerife]] in the Canary Islands 81 days earlier. In March 2006 [[Julie Wafaei]] of Canada became the first woman to row across the Atlantic from mainland to mainland.<ref name=OceanRowingRecords />
The fastest unsupported row from USA to England has been set in 2005 by The Ocean Fours (NL) (Gijs Groeneveld, Robert Hoeve, Jaap Koomen, Maarten Staarink) with the Vopak Victory. They left New York on 27th May and crossed the Bishops Rock Longitude 60 days, 16 hours and 19 minutes later.
=== Atlantic rowing races ===
Rowing the Atlantic first became mainstream when the first [[Atlantic Rowing Race]] was launched by Sir [[Chay Blyth]], after reflecting on his own ocean row that propelled him to international renown. This was the ''Port St. Charles, Barbados Atlantic Rowing Race''. Thirty double-handed teams lined up at the start line in a 'one design' rowing boat just outside of Los Gigantes marina on Sunday 12 October 1997. The race won by ''Kiwi Challenge'', rowed by Rob Hamill and Phil Stubbs after 41 days at sea. Second place went to the French crew of ''Atlantik Challenge'', Joseph Le Guen and his partner, a double convicted murderer, Pascal Blond.
Later Atlantic rowing races:
* Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Race 2001 - Won by Matt Goodman & Steve Westlake in [http://www.oceanrowing.com/challenge/01_Telecom_Challenge_1.htm Telecom Challenge 1]
* Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race 2003 - Won by James Fitzgerald & Kevin Biggar in [http://www.oceanrowing.com/Holiday_Shoppe_about.htm Holiday Shoppe Challenge]
* Ocean Rowing Society's Atlantic Rowing Race 2004 [http://www.oceanregatta.com/intro.htm] - Fours event won by Queensgate (GB); Pairs event won by Christopher Morgan and Michael Perrins in Carpe Diem (GB)
* Woodvale [[Atlantic Rowing Race]] 2005 - Overall race won by [[Clint Evans (rower)|Clint Evans]] and Chris Andrews in [http://www.rowatlantic.org.uk C²] (GB)
* Shephard Ocean Fours Rowing Race 2006 - Inaugural North Atlantic Rowing Race won by team [http://www.oarnorthwest.com O.A.R. Northwest] (Jordan Hanssen, Brad Vickers, Greg Spooner, and Dylan LeValley) rowing ''James Robert Hanssen''
== Pacific Ocean rowing ==
Following his successful Atlantic ocean crossing, John Fairfax set off from [[San Francisco]] in [[California]] on [[26 April]] [[1971]] with [[Sylvia Cook]]. After three stops (in [[Mexico]], [[Fanning Island]] and the [[Gilbert Island]] of [[Onotoa]]), the two arrived on [[Hayman Island]] in Australia 361 days later on [[22 April]] [[1972]]. In doing so Cook became the first woman to row any Ocean.
In 1976 Patrick Quesnel completed a crossing from Washington State to Hawaii, a journey of 2200 miles which took him 114 days<ref>Quincey, C. (1977). ''Tasman Trespasser'', page 202. Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton.</ref>.
In 1977 Colin Quincey became the first to cross the [[Tasman Sea]], the segment of the Pacific Ocean between [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]. He departed [[Hokianga]], [[New Zealand]] on [[6 February]] [[1977]] and 63 days later arrived at [[Marcus Beach, Queensland|Marcus Beach]], Australia [[10 April]]. His journey marked the thirteenth <ref>Quincey, C. (1977). ''Tasman Trespasser''. Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton.</ref>.
The first person to row the width of the [[Pacific Ocean]] solo was [[Peter Bird]] of Britain. Bird set off from San Francisco, California and arrived at the Great Barrier Reef Australia 294 days later on [[June 14]], [[1983]]. Bird would later die attempting the west to east journey across the Pacific.
Controversially, Briton [[Jim Shekhdar]] later made the claim to be "the first person to row across the Pacific single-handed". Shekhdar had rowed across the Pacific non-stop, solo and unassisted arriving in Australia on [[30 March]] [[2001]]. Some within the sport felt that Shekhdar had not given due credit to the achievement of Peter Bird and the term "unassisted" also came under some scrutiny.
[[Erden Eruç]] is currently rowing across the Pacific. He departed San Francisco, California on July 11th 2007, bound for Australia. Eruç has been plagued by unfavorable currents and is having difficulty crossing the equator (more specifically the [[ITCZ]].) Eruç previously rowed across the Atlantic ocean.
== Indian Ocean rowing ==
The [[Indian Ocean]] was first crossed by Anders Svedlund of Sweden in 1971. He set off from Kalbarri in Western Australia on [[April 29]], [[1971]] and arrived near Diego Suarez, Madagascar 64 days later on [[June 23]].<ref name=OceanRowingRecords />
In 2009, the first Indian Ocean Rowing Race is planned by [http://www.woodvale-events.com/Docs/Races/indian.shtml Woodvale Events]
== Ocean rowing in popular culture ==
The British rock band [[Marillion]] released an eighteen minute song called [[Ocean Cloud]] on its 2004 album ''[[Marbles (album)|Marbles]]'' based on Donald Allum's almost fatal third crossing of the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland in 1987.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.oceanrowers.com/aor The Association of Ocean Rowers]
*[http://www.woodvale-events.com Woodvale Events]
*[http://www.angusadventures.com/oceanrowing Ocean Rowing Handbook]
*[http://www.oceanrowing.com The Ocean Rowing Society]
**[http://www.oceanrowing.com/logs/don_allum.htm] Don Allum's log at the above.
[[Category:Ocean rowers]]
[[Category:Rowing]]