43 teams, 114 rowers and 20 nations represented – and for the first time ever, Malta is one of these nations.

There are a handful of weeks left before I head out to La Gomera in the Canary Islands to take part in the World’s Toughest Row. Kamila, my ocean rowing boat, is already on her way there.

It’s been a tremendous few months, and getting to this point has been immensely hard to be honest.

But now, it’s time to go. I’ve trained very hard, even though I still believe I could have done more. I’ve done 350 hours plus on Kamila and nearly 6,000km on my rowing machine at home.

I’ve lifted more weights than I care to remember and done multiple rounds of HIIT (high intensity interval training). I started training for this race in October 2022 and trained virtually every day. I’m tired now, but funnily enough ready to go.

What happens next?

At the end of November, I fly out to La Gomera, with the first team briefing planned for 1 December.

Teams have 12 days to get their boats ready and everything is planned meticulously. I also have my own list of things to do and buy.

In La Gomera, I’ll be doing confirmation rows to check and test everything on the boat and make sure things are packed where I need them.

The final ‘hurdle’ is the boat and equipment inspection where the race organizers check everything with a fine tooth comb. This is done not ensure we are best placed to successfully cross the Atlantic.

Then, on 12 December starting at around 11.30am CET, teams start leaving La Gomera staggered every three minutes. I believe solos go last.

Then, it’s me and the ocean.