SWISS MOCEAN - crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing-boat

The challenge:

It is considered to be the toughest rudder regatta in the world: the Talisker™ Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. Since 1966, extreme rudders have crossed their borders: storms, huge waves, lack of sleep, cramped space or sun that burns from the sky. Salt water, which can not heal any wound. No wonder more people mounted Mount Everest or were in space when crossing the Atlantic in the rowing boat. Start is in December in San Sebastian on the Canary Island of La Gomera, destination is English Harbor on Antigua in the Caribbean. In between are 3000 nautical miles or 5000 kilometers.

The team:
This year, 2017, a team from Switzerland will meet this challenge for the first time: "SWISS MOCEAN". It consists of Yves Schultheiss, Lucas Baltensperger, Laurence Elsässer and Marlin Strub. They have been training and preparing for the Challenge since 2014. The four of them have become acquainted with the military and have made the first joint border experiences there. Border experiences that have strengthened them physically and mentally. Their goal is to undercut the existing world record of a four-team of 37 days and 9 hours. Her testimony: "This psychological and physical experience will definitely leave a mark in our characters."

The hardships:

Day and night is rowed, 24 hours, around the clock. In the two-hour cycle, the rowers alternate. Two hours to row, two hours to recover. Between 40 and 70 days, the boats usually need to cross over. Around one million rudder strokes are necessary. 15,000 kilocalories are consumed by every rower. During the day. 15 liters of water must be eaten by everyone who is extracted by the bordeige desalination plant. A supply during the regatta is not allowed.

The greatest danger:

The biggest danger is the weather, say former participants. The rowing boats are designed to re-erect when they capsize. But when a storm arises, the athletes can only flee to their watertight cabins, wait until the storm has ripped, and hope nothing bad happens to them.

The charity:

"SWISS MOCEAN" is launched under the motto "Challenge Meets Charity". The proceeds go to Pentru copii abandonati (PeCA), a social project for abandoned children and their surroundings in Romania. The aim is to support the renovation of the two children's homes "Casa Livezii" and "Casa Prichindel". These houses provide protection for orphans aged 3 to 20 years in small families: www.abandonati.ch.
How much money can be donated will not be shown until the end of the challenge. The Atlantic crossing is estimated at a budget of almost 140,000 Swiss francs, but the boat - about 7.50 meters long and 1.80 meters wide - costs about 70,000 Swiss francs. It is to be sold at the end.

The Sponsor:

Aquapac supports "SWISS MOCEAN" with its waterproof bags, bags and duffels to protect the nautical and personal equipment from water, waves or salt. And the four at least once in a while can go back to dry things. As an Atlantic-Crosser, whom we also sponsored, described briefly and concisely: "I sweat, everything is going on. My non-waterproof electronic high-tech toys are increasing in turn. Everything that was not packed in Aquapacs, I hereby declare to be a wet biotope. "
We will update regularly during the Challenge.