Congratulations to Cole Barnard (2014B), Grant Soll (2014W), Lee Gordon (2014M) and Matthew Boynton (2014W), who became the youngest team ever to cross the Atlantic by rowing in the 2018 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge with a time of 39 days, 8 hours & 43 minutes! They were also the only SA team.

To donate to the teams charities, go to: 
https://mad4waves.com


Adapted from GoodThingsGuy.com:

Cole, Grant, Lee and Matthew are four close friends who have been rowing together for over 10 years throughout school and university. The guys are determined to conquer the wind, the waves and each other’s company in a bid to make a difference in South Africa through education.

Photo credit: Ben Duffy

"39 days, 8 hours and 43 minutes later and we’ve done it! WE ROWED ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN! 
We can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support we received throughout our crossing, it was truly incredible to know you were all rooting for us (especially in our darkest of times)
We’re currently still trying to find our land legs and adjust to normal living, but will be posting about life on the boat and our adventure in the days to come. We can’t wait to share our journey with you!"
 

Photo credit: Ben Duffy

The friends are the only South African team to have entered the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge and became the youngest people to have ever rowed across the Atlantic, unaided!

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is the world’s No.1 ocean enduro-race and is widely considered to be one of the hardest challenges on the planet: racing across the Atlantic Ocean in nothing but a rowing boat.

The guys who call themselves Team MAD 4 Waves, will be setting off from the Canary Islands on their 5 500 km journey across the Atlantic on 22 November 2018. The lads will be taking on the extreme challenges of the Atlantic, with their sights firmly set on being amongst the first boats to arrive and embrace the crowds in Antigua.

“We will be rowing 2 hours on, 2 hours off, non-stop, day and night until we reach the finish (around 40-60 days later)! This crossing is known as one of the hardest endurance races on the planet with more people having summited Everest, journeyed the North Pole or ventured into space.”

Through their campaign, the team will be raising funds for education in South Africa. The team has partnered with the Make a Difference (MAD) Leadership Foundation with the objective of sponsoring a promising child through high school and also raising funds to provide desks for 1000 learners across South Africa.

“Complementing our passion for the challenge of rowing across the Atlantic is the desire to make a difference in the world. We have partnered with the MAD Leadership Foundation and will be raising funds in an effort to play a part in tackling one of South Africa’s biggest problems, education.”“As of 2017, only 39% of all South Africans that start school pass matric. Education is one of the greatest problems facing South Africa and it’s our responsibility as South Africans to do all that we can to fix it. As of 2017, only 39% of all South Africans that start school pass matric. Education is one of the greatest problems facing South Africa and it’s our responsibility as South Africans to do all that we can to fix it.”
 

The team are inviting all South Africans to join their campaign to make a difference too.“Your support can help us conquer the Atlantic and together we can make a difference in South Africa by facilitating improved education opportunity.”

For more information or to follow their journey, click here or watch the teaser video below: