FULFILL OUR DREAMS

Jooles has been dreaming about rowing an ocean for years. The dream will not go away. One of the hardest parts of rowing an ocean is getting to the start line as Jooles knows only too well. But this time it is real, its happening and we WILL do it.

Ian's thoughts of rowing an ocean began when a close friend completed a crossing of the Pacific as a team of 3. He didn't want to replicate their achievement but take it a step further.

WORLD & RACE RECORDS

Our ideal would be to beat the average pairs time for all Atlantic crossings any boat class 52 days, 49 days is the average pairs time for an R25 concept class and 43 days would beat the mixed pairs record set by The Seablings in 2019.

We believe that 25 mixed pairs have previously attempted the Atlantic over the years with 20 being successful.

CHARITY

Frank Rothwell's Solo 2020 Atlantic race is a classic example of how the public loves to embrace an enormously adventurous challenge and have donated a staggering £1,100,000 to Alzheimer's Research as a result. Since 2013 crews have raised in excess of €12 million for charities. We are excited that we will be adding to these figures for LOROS, Sports Traider and Me & Dee charities.

INSPIRE

We aim to inspire our three girls, their friends, our friends, family and strangers alike. We believe Our Stronger Twogether talk for corporate partners, sponsors, schools, clubs and aspiring adventurers will inspire all that listen.

Jooles has already inspired people to change their lifestyles and take on the challenges of cycling around Britain and rowing in the Lionheart Great British row with Rannoch.

CHILDHOOD INSPIRATIONS

Jooles had a recent realisation in 2021 when watching a Mikron Theatre Company production that took her back to her teenage years when she saw one of their productions 'Imogens War' in the 1990's. This play was written about the women in WW2 who took over the working boats to free up the men to go to war. The hardships, lack of food, blisters, the long days and sheer dogged determination of these women and the actors who portrayed them.

Jooles also read Blyth and Ridgway's epic book "A Fighting Chance" when she was a teenager, never believing that she would one day be planning an ocean row.

BEING SHORT

Neither of us are tall, but for Jooles, being 5ft 3 and the lightweight category being withdrawn from competitive competition, her only option to compete was entering the heavyweight doubles category at Women's Henley meant they were no longer competing on a level playing field and resulted in them failing to qualify. Jooles took a while to get over this and deciding to row an ocean was part of her healing process. In Ocean rowing you can race and row against any age, sex, height and build and whilst it is a huge physical challenge it's about mental toughness and resilience and the ability to adapt to change and living true isolation.

IN MEMORY

In early 2020 Jooles rediscovered her first love who was taken by illness just a few months later. He loved the water too and made Jooles promise that she would fulfill her dream to row with or without him there supporting her. So she is keeping that promise and making the dream a reality.

Both Ian's parents met thanks to sharing a Naval background and lost their individual battles against cancer. It seems, to him, a fitting tribute to them.

STRONGER TWOGETHER

At 5ft 8 Ian was told he was too small to play Rugby... he joined the club and did it anyway. At 49 years old he was told he was too old for dancing in a production of Fame... He joined the cast and did it anyway. Now in his 50's he's been told hes' mad to even think about rowing an ocean as a pair... Guess what..?

BEAUTY OF THE OCEAN

Wildlife, sunsets and the peace and tranquility of no human contact, no light pollution. I think star gazing may become a nighttime hobby whilst out on the oars. A beautiful time to reflect on life.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

For Jooles an experienced rower and Ian an absolute novice, rowing 3000 on an ocean has to be THE ultimate adventure. Not content with river or coastal races this couple mean business.

POWER OF THE WAVES

It's difficult to comprehend the sheer power and magnitude of the ocean until we are out there but the thought of it excites and spurs us on to meet the challenges of the tropical storms we're likely to experience during our 3000 mile endeavour.

BIOLUMINESSENCE

Some crews have been lucky enough to witness bioluminescence on the ocean's surface. It must be a magical sight. Bioluminescent organisms have the ability to produce light using chemical reactions within their bodies as triggered by an attack, attracting a mate or in response to a disturbance caused by a passing boat. How incredible would it be to see this for ourselves?