William de Laszlo



Rowers Set off on Round Britain Record Bid
June 7 2005	By Laura Elston, PA
Four men embarked on a world record attempt today to row non-stop around the British coastline
The crew set off from Tower Bridge, London, as the river Thames’ tide turned at 2pm and were cheered on by family and friends. They are hoping to raise £1 million for The Outward Bound Trust and their favourite hospital by rowing more than 2,000 miles around the outline of Great Britain. Lieutenant William de Laszlo, from Wandsworth, south west London, Lieut Ben Jesty, from London, Sergeant James Bastin, from Dursley, Gloucestershire and Will Turnage from Lymington, Hampshire are expected to take five to six weeks to complete the GB Row Challenge, which they say has never been attempted before. Shortly before they began their intrepid adventure, Sgt Bastin settled himself into one of the two tiny sleeping compartments on the 23ft long boat. Munching some last minute food, he said: “I’m just having a sandwich. It’s my last bit of real food. “I’m not nervous. I think it will take us about 45 days.” The men will row in pairs, alternating every three hours with Lt Jesty and Mr Turnage taking the first shift as they began rowing east along the Thames after a chanted countdown from army colleagues and families on a nearby boat. The crew will row clockwise around the coastline, heading past Kent and Land’s End to Scotland. Their vessel, Outward Bound, is carrying more than a tonne of food on board. Every day they will have pate and biscuits for lunch before stopping at 7pm to dine together on heated army ration packs. The money they raise will also go to the Bud Flanagan Leukaemia Fund at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey.