Vivaldi Atlantic4

Rowers set for record breaking return

July 12 2005

A team of four British oarsmen, one from south Wales, are on course today to become the first to row across the Atlantic to mainland Britain.

The crew of the 29ft ocean rowing boat Naturally Best have already knocked over a fortnight off the 55-day Canada to Europe record.

They are expected to return to Falmouth, Cornwall, this morning, making them the first transatlantic rowers to continue all the way to the mainland.

The crew members are Steve Dawson, 43, from Boston, Lincs, Nigel Morris, 40, and George Rock, 41, both from Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, and Rob Munslow, 26, from Monmouth, south Wales.

On Sunday the team, known as the Vivaldi Atlantic 4, crossed the finish line off the Isles of Scilly to complete their voyage in 39 days, 22 hours, 10 minutes and 30 seconds.

The previous record for a crossing from St John's, Newfoundland, Canada, to the Bishop's Rock lighthouse, was set by Briton Tom McLean in 1987.

Family, friends and well-wishers are expected to line Falmouth's dockside to welcome the triumphant rowers home.

At the time of Naturally Best's launch, Mr Dawson said: "I am very confident, you have got to be. We have done a lot of training. You also need a sense of humour and determination, pure determination."

The boat was designed and built by Devon-based firm Woodvale Events, and the crew were all members of the 2002 Skandia Atlantic crossing attempt which ended after 21 days when the rudder was ripped off in a storm.