Against all the Odds, NZ Rowers take Second Place

Against all the Odds, 'Missing' NZ Rowers take Second Place in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009

The NZ Rowing team ‘Rowing for Prostate’ who lost contact with shore 10 days ago today snatched second place in the inaugural Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009. Against all the odds, the team, completed the last few hundred miles of the race under stealth mode.

Kiwis, Tom Wigram (31), Pete Staples (38), Billy Gammon (35) and
Matthew Hampel (34) left Geraldton, Western Australia on 19 April
2009 together with nine other crews, all aiming to row a mammoth 3,132
nautical miles to the beautiful Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. At
7.01 GMT today, the Rowing for Prostate crew reappeared, rowing their 29ft long purposely built, composite ocean rowing boat proudly over the finish line and up to the Grand Bay Yacht Club, where their emotional family and friends where eagerly waiting to greet them.

The team confirmed that the lack of contact over the past 10 days had
been due to a fault with the battery of their satellite phone. During
the time since race organisers last had contact with the crew they
have faced some severe weather conditions and overcome many challenges including broken seat rails, a capsize and extreme food rationing.

Rowing for Prostate crew member Billy Gammon comments: “The past 2 years of planning this challenge have provided the most amazing journey of our lives. When we took up the opportunity to take on the Indian i don't think any of us knew exactly what we were letting ourselves in for but after 81 days of high drama, adrenaline fuelled adventure and an emotional rollercoaster it is an experience and an adventure we will all look back on with enormous pride, not to mention great satisfaction in completing - suffice to say the Indian lived up
to its reputaion as being one of the most trecherous, not to mention
unpredictable stretches of water in the world.

The feeling of pure euphoria on completing the crossing is hard to
explain but we could not have done this without the amazing support
and encouragement from so many friends, sponsors and complete
strangers who have followed our story across New Zealand and the
UK...not to mention some 19 other countries across the world. We have
been humbled by all the support over the past 18 months and are
absolutely delighted by the huge awareness and funds that have been
generated for our chosen charity, prostate cancer, a cause that is
very close to our hearts.We hope this epic journey of ours will have
helped to put prostate cancer on the map in the ongoing struggle to
combat a disaease that is fast becoming man's number one killer.

During the team’s 2 year campaign leading up to and including their
epic journey they have worked relentlessly to raise valuable funds and
awareness for Prostate Cancer Charities in both the UK and New
Zealand.

Simon Chalk, Managing Director of Woodvale Challenge Ltd comments:
“Many congratulations to the crew of Rowing for Prostate on taking
second place in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009.

“Rowing 3,132nm in 81 days is an amazing achievement and to use a
challenge such as this for the purposes of raising funds for charity
organisations is extremely honorable. Each and every crew that took
part in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race has done exactly this, raising
thousands of pounds for a wide range of charities. Well done to them
all.”

ENDS

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