Mixed-sex crew hope to complete Atlantic challenge

Team Rollocks had a chance meeting with their boat's designer Phil Morrison (second left) at a pub in Exmouth

A mixed-sex rowing crew are hoping to complete a 3,000-mile (4,828km) challenge across the Atlantic.

Suzanne Isaacs, Tony Emmins, Jason Garland and married couple Claire and Rich Allinson have formed Team Rollocks and entered the World's Toughest Row, which starts in the Canary Islands and ends in Antigua.

The crew from Exmouth are due to set off on 12 December on a Rannoch R45 boat called 'Liberty', with the row expected to take about 35 days.

Ms Isaacs said they wanted to become the first mixed-sex crew of five to complete the course and would be raising money for eating disorder charity Beat and military charities Rock 2 Recovery and Cockleshell 22.

Fifth person benefit

The boat has three seats for rowers to use along with two cabins for sleeping and hatches for food storage.

Mr Allinson said the plan was for each rower to do two-hour shifts before taking a break.

He added most crews in the race have four members, so having a fifth person on board had extra benefits.

"Having that fifth rower means we can have a third person rowing when needed and allows someone to have an extra rest if someone needs it," Mr Allinson said.

'Slightly mindboggling'

The crew said they also had a surprise meeting with the man who designed their boat when they held an unveiling ceremony at The Beach Pub in Exmouth.

Ms Isaacs said: "My neighbour came up to me and said 'you do realise Phil Morrison who designed your boat is in the pub?' and she pointed him out and we had a chat.

"I immediately asked him 'if we capsize, you've designed this boat to flip back over again?' and he said yes, so that was very comforting to hear."

Mr Morrison said he got a lot of satisfaction from seeing people using boats he designed, even though he thought the idea of rowing across the Atlantic was "slightly mindboggling".

He said: "I have no ambition to do it myself, so I do think they're completely mad.

"But I wish them well and I hope the day after they finish that they really enjoy it."