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Now a similar drama is
going on in the Atlantic Ocean. The Ocean rowing society is arranging the
Atlantic Rowing Regatta 2004, with thirteen official teams rowing from
Spain to Barbados. The key word here is official.
Two rowers, Brett and Scott, living in the Canary Islands got the word of
the regatta and decided it was the coolest thing. They would participate.
For that, they needed a boat for 25 thousand sterling pounds and a permit
from the regatta, another 8 thousand sterling pounds.
Well, for various reasons, they didn't have
the money. But to their great delight they were granted a sponsorship from
Zimbabwe. They applied to the regatta and ordered the boat. But now things
changed over in Zimbabwe. |
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The President put a ban on
foreign money. The government passed a law the other day saying that they
could arrest a person even if they suspect that person of dealing in
foreign currency. Only Zimbabwe dollars were to leave Zimbabwe. Yet
outside of Zimbabwe, nobody wanted Zimbabwe dollars. Do you get it?
Doesn't matter - the rowing sponsorship fell through, the country is
struggling and the boys had no boat.
The regatta started without our guys. But just as they were contemplating
the resent turn of events an unbelievable sight unfolded before their
eyes. A truck came by the house and unloaded a brand new ocean rowing boat
right at their front yard! By some mistake, the order had been delivered
without proper payment.
Well, Brett and Scott didn't think twice. The regatta had already lasted
for two days, but the guys ran to the shore, dropped the boat in the
water, painted "save Zimbabwe" all over it and off they were. Their boat
"against all odds" took off with the speed of light as her highly
motivated crew rowed like hell.
Soon the poor Regatta organizers started to receive annoyed satellite
phone calls from the "legal" rowers. Who were these guys, why didn't they
have to pay the fee, and - worse - now they had the nerve to row past
everyone else! Yes, they are in fact tailgating the official leading boat!
Don't try to find them on the official tracking list, they are invisible
there although the organizers do keep track on them for safety reasons.
But our sources reveal the latest Argos report like this:
Queensgate, 050/1937, 3.45, 2309, 3.173, 3.45, 055/2155, 6.52, 024/0902.
Carpe Diem, 050/1801, 2.16, 1764, 2.429, 2.16, 070/1330, 9.80, 040/1736
Against All Odds, 050/1800, 2.39, 1540, 2.121, 2.19, 075/0014, 6.55,
030/1431
Stay tuned!
Scott Wonenberg
Age 33, grew up living in California and
Zimbabwe, backpacking and mountain climbing.
At the age of 20, he flew a single engine Cessna from California to
Zimbabwe. He travels the world performing acrobatic slam-dunk shows for
crowds of up to 36,000 people, he has also worked with the Bud Light
Daredevils as team captain and in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks where
he built up the Mascot department and performed as a high flying, stunt
type mascot. He enjoys various other outdoor sports, but his passion is in
expeditions.
Brett Sparrow
Born in Africa. Age 29. Grew up on large game
reserves in Zimbabwe often hand raising dangerous orphaned animals
including elephant, rhino, buffalo and hyena. Became Whitewater rafting
guide and videographer in the Zambezi River. He was also a member of the
‘Safety Team’ in the 2001 Camel White Water Challenge (world rafting
championships), and has guided in numerous International white water
races.
Scott and Brett:
Together they successfully completed an expedition on
Africa’s Lake Karibain in a ten-foot 4O year old dinghy, covering nearly
1000km in the circumnavigation, almost entirely by rowing. It took them 23
days through some of the worlds most crocodile populated waters and remote
wilderness areas.
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