Tag Archives: Ocean crossing

Sports

Row diaries: Waking up, training, donations, and Covid

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Last weekend, I completed what was probably my last 24-hour training row before I leave on my epic journey. It’s just a month away now.

The training session itself was uneventful. Every time, these sessions get easier. Not easy, just easier than the time before. The only concern I had was that my legs, hamstrings to be exact, were in quite a bit of pain.

I think it has something to do with the HIIT (High intensity interval training) I’m doing, which is why I’ve stopped doing the latter.

Now it’s time for me to balance out my training with appropriate recovery to make sure my body is in the best possible condition for the row. I believe I’ve done what I had to do to get physically ready – more than 8 million metres of indoor rowing, another 500km of rowing on water, may kilometres of running, weights, and HIIT. For a 50-year-old, I guess it’s OK.

I have also started breathing exercises – it’s more to do with my mental health during the crossing. The exercises help reboot the brain in times of difficulty (or so they say).

Back to my 24-hour row training – one thing I realised (you have ample time to think) is that I hate waking up. Who likes it really?. Not only waking up, getting up (even more difficult).

I calculated that over the course of the crossing, I will have to wake up (and get up) around 600 times (1,200 hours = 50 days, with a shift pattern of two hours on, two off). That’s the equivalent of nearly two years of waking up (and getting up) crammed into less than two months. Crazy, eh?

With one month left to go before leaving, my huge concern now is Covid-19 and the ability to get to Portugal to begin our trip. Borders are still open – for now. If they close, we’ll be… well, screwed.

Postponing is a terrible prospect, one which I don’t even want to contemplate. I’ve worked on this project for 2.5 years and would be devasted if we have to postpone.

Ever little bit helps

It’s been a year to date since I announced my plans to the world via an article in The Times.

In this period, we’ve managed to collect just under €3,000 for my Swiss charities (Swiss Cancer League and Terre des hommes), and around €1,200 for Hospice Malta.

I’m extremely grateful for the contributions people have made. For all three organizations, I’m at around 15% of my target, so please donate or share my website address (www.crossrower.ch or de.crossrower.ch in German) with people. Every single cent goes directly to the organizations.

You don’t need to donate huge amounts – skip your coffee and croissant for one day and donate €10. You know what I mean.

Sports

Row diaries: The team – Patrice Maciel (Team EU rower)

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In March 2021, I will row across the Atlantic Ocean with four others, a grueling 6,000km challenge that will push mind and body to the limit. Patrice Maciel is one of the team members of Team EU

This will not be the first rowing experience for Patrice. He has already completed a solo Atlantic crossing in 2014.

Known locally as the Guyanese Rower (he is a native of the French Guyana), Patrice is 48 years old and married with children. He has been involved in sports for all his life, a passion which is also his profession. He became a sports and football teacher and works in the public sector in Kourou, where the French space center is located.

Throughout his career, he participated in a number of prestigious competitions:

– CON.CA.CAF (Caribbean and Central African Confederation) with the Geldar football club of Kourou

– Guyana Football Champion 2001

– French Surfing Championship (Skimboard category) 2nd in 1991

– European Skimboard Champion (Coach of Olivier CHABERT) Champion 2005

– Rames Guyana Crossing the Atlantic Ocean row from Senegal to Cayenne (capital of French Guyana) solo in 2014 (82 days)

Personal tragedy

Patrice is particularly sensitive to the issue of disability in children. His sister Patricia suffered from mental and physical disabilities, succumbing to her condition.

My parents and I have gone through extremely difficult times, Patrice says.

With his sister spending her time in and out of hospital, Patrice is now rowing to collect funds to help children in need and their families.

It’s also a bit of an escape from daily life, experiencing life on the ocean during the crossing.

School education for young people is another area in which he would like to get involved. In overseas regions, particularly in French Guiana, young people are full of resources and talents.

“I wish to support them through my modest contribution that anything is possible and that you should never give up your dreams,” he says.

He believes in studying and being physically active to be successful, plus having a dream and ambitions in life. For this, he is also supporting the Overseas Youth Association.

Patrice will also use the platform to raise awareness on environmental protection by highlighting the state of the ocean and what he observes during the crossing.

I want to make people aware of the need to preserve our planet, he says.

Motivation

This challenge is an opportunity for Patrice to live a human experience and participate in one of the toughest sporting activities in the world. His considerable experience will be of great help.

The challenge includes living isolated from the world with his co-rowers, confined in a very small space without and privacy for many weeks. Rowing day and night, he is also determined to break the world record from Europe to South America.

“It’s an experience of life, human relationships and surpassing oneself. I appreciate the chance to participate in this project, which is in line with my values: camaraderie, respect, work, solidarity, mutual aid, self-sacrifice, and passion for sport.”

The final destination of Team EU is Kourou, around 60km north of the capital Cayenne. It’s also Patrice’s home town. And apparently, preparations for a welcome home party are already in motion.

Sports, Uncategorized

Row diary: Food, glorious food

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An army is said to march on its stomach, apparently. And so do rowers (well, we row, incidentally in March) – to the tune of 6,000 calories daily.

Two questions are frequently asked – what are you going to eat, and where will you be storing the food?

We’ll be taking everything we need with us on the trip across the Atlantic, including food. Rose, our Rannoch 45 ocean going row boat, has ample storage space to be able to take everything. The food is dehydrated so it takes up less space and is also lighter.

Probably my favorite…

We will have around four packet per rower per day, each of which contains around 1,000 calories. This is supplemented by snacks to make up around 6,000 calories per day.

We’ll be having a choice of different food, including Spaghetti Bolognese, couscous with Cajun spices and vegetables, Asian noodles with chicken, fish and potato in parsley sauce, and mixed vegetables, and vegetable tikka with rice.

There will also be sweet freeze-dried food options, including chocolate chip biscuit pudding, custard with apple, custard with mixed berries, granola with raspberries, hot cereal with mango, and porridge with sultanas.

What we’ll be doing is adding hot or cold water and giving it time to rehydrate before eating.

What’s interesting is that while consuming the equivalent of 12 Big Macs a day, I’ll probably end up losing around 10kg. Makes it all worth it.

If you want to support Steve’s causes, go to www.crossrower.ch (or de.crossrower.ch in German). The site also includes detailed information on the trip.