atlantic 2025

Stronger Twogether

World's Toughest Row

1

One dream of crossing the Atlantic in a tiny ocean row boat.

3000

Miles across the deep, wild and unpredictable Atlantic Ocean.

5000

Calories burned each day battling against waves of up to 30ft high.

My countdown
THe challenge

rowing 3000 miles

The race begins on December 12th 2025, with up to 40 teams participating from around the world. Rowers have to cope with blisters, salt rashes, sleep deprivation and rowing in two-hour shifts around the clock for weeks on end, facing all the raw elements of the Atlantic Ocean. Boats are typically seven meters long and just under two meters wide, with only a small cabin for protection against storms. All boats are equipped at the race start, and cannot take any repair, help or food and water during the crossing, yet all boats are professionally and reliably built to sustain the full race.

Sponsorship Opportunities

How can you get involved and help as part of this inspirational project to get us to the start line?

You can become an OAR sponsor, Title Sponsor, join our friends and family club and have your name on the boat.

You can help by donating your time through your business services, professional time and or donating products we could raffle or sell on to raise funds for the project.

Why

  • Fulfill our dreams

  • World records

  • Charity

  • Inspire

  • Beauty of the ocean

  • Biggest challenge

  • Power of the waves

  • Bioluminescence

  • Creatures of the ocean

  • Leave a legacy

training

How's the training going? That's the most frequently asked question we get It's at this point we think....do we launch into talking about the Physical training with weights or ergo, Pilates, strength and conditioning, the mental preparation, the  mandatory courses that the pair have both completed including Sea survival, First Aid at sea, VHF, Seamanship & Navigation and the World's Toughest Row in house Ocean Rowing Course, the river rowing training or the 120 hrs minimum on the actual boat we need to qualify for the race. We could talk for hours about all of it and do!!

THE TEAM

JOOLES & IAN Paillin-DEAN

This rowing duo are a husband and wife team with three children who have decided to take on the challenge of a lifetime and row the Atlantic together.

Jooles

Mum to two children aged 14 and 10, has lived her life either on or next to the water. She spent two years preparing for the 2020 TWAC but after several life changing events leading up to the race, the decision was made for her to postpone her adventure. Her previous rowing accolades over the last 15 years, coastal and ocean rowing experience, passion for life and inherent determination has made her the driving force and natural choice to lead the team on this epic adventure.

Ian

Dad to one teenage girl, who has spent nearly 30 years performing in musical theatre and a natural when it comes to dancing. Known for his Salsa and Zumba classes. Ian's mini-adventures include OCR running, open water swimming, kayaking and 40 mile walks. Thoughts turned to ocean rowing after a close friend crossed the Pacific in a team of three. It is with the hope of inspiring his daughter and to show her anything is possible, Ian is taking on this most epic of adventures with Jooles.

World's toughest RoW
Charities

LOROS

LOROS a local hospice charity who every year cares for over 2,500 people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. They deliver free, high-quality, compassionate care and support to terminally ill patients, their family and carers. They deliver care that is special and unique to each individual. They care for the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of each individual patient and provide support for the family and friends. This care responds to the needs of the whole family and can be provided whether the patient is in the Hospice or at home.
This charity is very close to Ian's heart as both his parents passed away from cancer with his Mum spending her last weeks with LOROS until she sadly passed away.
Jooles also would have wanted her childhood sweetheart who sadly also passed away from a rare cancer in 2020 to have had hospice care at home with his family around him, unfortunately he didn't make it home but his legacy lives on in him wanting her to complete the row one day.

MEDIA

To see our press mentions or contact us about media opportunities please head to the Media page.

TRACK US

You will be able to track us online along with the rest of the fleet on the Yellow brick App.

OUR SPONSORS

Head to our Sponsors page to see who has sponsored us already.

Sponsor us NOW

We need to raise £125,000 to get us to the start line