Here at iCaaS we are incredibly proud to sponsor an epic adventure by iCaaS Chairman and co-founder Kevin Gaskell and his Ocean5 team.
Rowing across the Atlantic is not a challenge completed by many. But for Gaskell, the world’s toughest row race is just another feat of endurance he’s taking on.
Gaskell and his team are planning to start their epic journey in early December from La Gomera, Canary Islands to English Harbour, Antigua and are expected to take 45 days to complete as part of their project. They will be rowing continuously for 24 hours each day.
Up to 30 teams are expected to participate from around the world.
Only a few daring people have completed an Atlantic crossing in a rowing boat. More people have climbed Everest or flown into space!
Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge
The team will take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge and expect to maintain a punishing 24 hour relay rowing cycle of two hours on, two hours off for each rower. They will row 5,000 kilometres across more than 1 million square kilometres of Atlantic Ocean with a depth of up to 8 kilometres.
The adrenalin driven group of five are enthusiastic and highly motivated men. Between them, they have trekked to the North and South poles, climbed the world’s highest mountains, carried Olympic torch and represented their countries as sportsmen.
They are raising money for The Plastic Soup Foundation who are leading the fight against plastic pollution directly at source by preventing it entering the environment and the ocean.
The physically demanding challenge will mean the team will faced with sleep deprivation, isolation and exhaustion. Adverse currents are also expected along the way – storms and waves up to 60 feet high!
The rest of the team are: Will Hollingshead, Chris Hodgson, Sam Coxon and Matt Gaskell.
The Team
Gaskell is a world-renowned business leader and inspirational speaker. He was previously MD of Porsche, BMW and Fairline Boats. He has walked to both the North Pole and to the South Pole as well as climbing some of the world’s highest mountains to raise funds for medical research.
Will has worked in the superyacht industry and is the co-founder of a nautical tech start-up business.
Chris is an officer onboard superyachts and has completed three Atlantic crossings.
Sam is an endurance athlete, having been selected recently to represent Great Britain in the Triathlon world championship.
Matt recently graduated in medicine. He has walked to both Poles and was selected to carry the 2012 Olympic torch.
The Ocean5 boat is a Rannoch 45, widely considered to be the fastest and safest rowing boat for crossing the Atlantic. Just 28 feet long and over 5 feet wide, there is a small cabin at each end for protection against the storms.
She weighs just 1 ton without crew and equipment and fully laden, she will weigh around 2.5 tonnes. There is no means of propulsion other than the rowers. Power for navigation and communication is via solar panels on the cabin roof.
There will be enough freeze dried rations to last the team 65 days. They will be burning about 7,000 calories each per day.
Follow the team’s adventures on Twitter @the_ocean-5 ; on Instagram the_ocean_5 and on Facebook @TheOcean5Rowers
To sponsor Gaskell and the team please go to: https://theocean5.com/sponsor-the-ocean5/