World’s toughest rowing challenge boat launched to raise funds for Devon charity

Devon businessman Mark Sealey and Army veteran Alan Bustin-Mulkern have launched the boat that will carry them right the way through the world’s toughest rowing race – the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

With the aim of raising huge amounts for blood-delivery charity Devon Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service (EVS) – also known as the Blood Bikes – Alan and Mark launched their boat for the colossal challenge at the Royal Western Yacht Club in Plymouth.

The outing gave the pair a small taste of what’s to come when they set off on their 3000-mile mission.

“It’s great to get the boat out into the open sea and get a feel for what it will be like,” said Alan, who is set to row more than 3,000 miles west across the Atlantic Ocean from San Sebastian in the Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua.

Made more difficult by raging seas, howling winds, sharks, blisters and salt rashes, sunstroke and sleep deprivation – only 500 people have ever completed the row, but the duo are not deterred by this.

“It may at times seem like an impossible challenge, but I keep reminding myself of the very worthy cause that we are doing this in aid of and the personal achievement that it will be when we cross the finish line.”

Mark and Alan are rowing the Atlantic to raise money for the charity Devon Freewheelers EVS and have a fundraising target of £100,000. The remarkable and underfunded charity saves lives on a daily basis by providing  a free out-of-hours courier service to the NHS.  The Blood Bikes carry whole blood, blood and other medical samples, medication, donor breast milk and other urgent medical supplies.

Mark said: “Devon Freewheelers is a charity close to my heart, as my friend Ian Hopkins is one of their volunteer bikers. Their service saves lives every day of the week, every week of the year, but despite this they often remain under the radar and are severely under-resourced. When we decided to do this challenge, my main motivation was to do something that would not only help raise the charity’s profile but also raise much-needed money for their operations.”

Over the course of the challenge, Alan and Mark will row a constant, relentless shift-pattern of two hours on and two hours off, using their down-time only to eat, make water, make repairs and attempt to catch up on well-deserved rest – in a boat not much bigger than a standard family car.

Despite eating around 5,000 calories per day, Alan and Mark will still lose around 15 kg in bodyweight 15 kg in bodyweight (about 2½ stone).

Daniel Lavery, founder and chief executive of Devon Freewheelers EVS, said: “What these men are doing to help others – undertaking one on the most gruelling physical challenges on earth – is just incredible. It’s a huge task to undertake and I can’t thank Alan and Mark enough for doing this in aid of Devon Freewheelers.

“This is the biggest single fundraising effort that we have been involved in, and I’d ask anyone that reads this to get behind the Row West Seals and support them by making a donation to the cause. By showing support to the Row West Seals, you’ll also be helping to ensure that those in need of life-saving blood and other urgent medical supplies.”

Devon Freewheelers EVS will use the funds raised from the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge to further improve and extend its life-saving service. Anyone wishing to support the fundraising effort can visit http://row-west.co.uk/sponsorship/donors/ or donate £5 by texting “TWAC11 £5” to 70070.