A familiar face is back. Rod Adlington, who led the Brightsides across the Atlantic for Get A-Head, is preparing for an even bigger challenge – a 3,700-mile row across the Indian Ocean.
Rod and his new crew, Barney’s Boys, will row from Australia to Mauritius in 2028 to raise £250k. Get A-Head is one of three charities that will benefit.
The Indian Ocean Challenge is expected to take between 60 and 90 days and is one of the most demanding ocean crossings in the world. Crews face cyclones and strong currents. Only 50 people in history have completed it, with only 25 successful completions ever recorded.
Rod, a Midlands farmer from Solihull, will be a familiar name to many of our supporters.
He previously led the Brightsides across the Atlantic in 52 days and 18 hours, becoming the first mixed crew and the fastest team to complete the C-Map Atlantic Dash. The row raised £146k for Get A-Head and Meningitis Now.
Rod’s fundraising is in memory of his son Barney, who died of meningitis at the age of three.
He will be joined by two serving RAF personnel, Corporal Gary Binns and Flight Sergeant Phil Angus. Both men rowed the Atlantic at the same time as Rod, as part of a different crew. A fourth crew member is still to be recruited.
As well as Get A-Head, Barney’s Boys will raise money for Meningitis Now and The Veteran’s Charity.
Rod said: “The Atlantic row was a trip of a lifetime, but this is going to be something else, something only a small number of people have ever completed.
“The last challenge was incredibly tough and it threw an awful lot at us, but we managed to get through to the end of it.
“Now we thought we’ve got to step it up and go bigger, so this is the next big challenge and it is going to be a mammoth task.
“I’m delighted to be joined by Gary and Phil. They’re great guys and they both know what it takes mentally and physically to complete such a huge challenge. We’re hoping people will give generously and help us raise as much money as possible for three amazing causes.”
Since the Atlantic, Rod has kept busy, completing a 900-mile cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats earlier this year.
Gary, from West Yorkshire and based at RAF High Wycombe, said: “The Atlantic row was an epic challenge that threw so much at us, and we had to push our bodies like we had never pushed them before.
“This one is going to be even tougher, but it is an exciting challenge to be involved in and of course we will be raising funds for three fantastic causes in the process.”
Phil added: “This new challenge in the Indian Ocean is a different beast, but it is one I’m certainly up for. I want to test myself and push myself, and the chance to potentially join a unique group of people is exciting.”
The crew now face a year of hard training and fundraising.
Danni Heath, Director of Get A-Head, said: “Gary, Rod and Phil all did an amazing job in their Atlantic Row challenges, raising vital funds to support multiple charities between them.
“Completing one major ocean rowing challenge would be enough for most people but not for these three remarkable men.
“We’d like to say a huge thank you to Barney’s Boys for agreeing to this extreme challenge in support of Get A-Head and the other two causes.
“They’ll be training hard over the next 12 months to prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for the challenge and we’ll be supporting wherever we can.
“Funds raised from this will support research into causes and treatments for head and neck cancer as well as education for healthcare professionals, life-saving equipment and direct patient support.”
To find out more about Barney’s Boys and to donate visit https://www.barneysboys.co.uk/
