Meet the Team Aiming to Row Non-stop Across the Atlantic
Three men, three thousand miles and one very small boat
Considered the world’s toughest row, the crossing involves at least 50 days at sea, rowing 16 hours per day and navigating 3,000 miles through 50-foot waves, all unsupported. We caught up with Oli Smith, Mark Watson and Archie Dickinson to ask why they wanted to take on the challenge.
The idea for this challenge started back in 2023 when Archie came across an article in The Times about three brothers who had rowed the Atlantic. ‘I shared it with Oli and Mark, initially as a bit of a joke rather than a serious proposal. But what began as a passing idea quickly grew into something much bigger,’ Archie explains. ‘Conversations turned into plans, and plans turned into a real commitment. Nearly three years later, we’re now fully into training and fundraising as we prepare to take on a challenge that will test us both mentally and physically. It’s an opportunity to push ourselves far beyond our comfort zones while raising money for a cause that really matters.’
The three are school friends from Newcastle, and all share a love of the outdoors. ‘Growing up in Northumberland meant I spent a lot of time outdoors, playing sport, exploring, and getting stuck into whatever adventure was available,’ says Archie. ‘Although I currently live and work in London where outdoor adventures are a bit harder to come by, the urge to challenge myself is still very much there. So when the chance came up to take on this challenge with two of my best mates from school, it didn’t take much convincing, it was an easy yes.’
Oli currently works as a dentist in Edinburgh. ‘It’s a fairly structured career,’ he admits, ‘but my free time has always been driven by a love of the outdoors. Growing up I was constantly chasing adventure, whether that was climbing in the mountains or out on my skis, pushing my limits, and over time that appetite for challenge has evolved into bigger endurance projects, and rowing the Atlantic is easily the most ambitious one yet.’
Mark is the only one of the three still living in Newcastle. ‘I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors,’ he says. ‘A good weekend for me is usually spent camping or walking in the hills but over the last 10 years I’ve gradually become more interested in endurance challenges. I’ve dabbled in marathons and long-distance triathlons, but nothing on the scale of rowing the Atlantic. Taking on something like this with Archie and Oli, mates I’ve known since school, felt like a challenge too good to turn down.’
Once they decided to take on the row, the needed a name, and a cause. ‘We were a little bit lost to find a name initially, we’re not the most creative bunch,’ admits Oli. ‘We turned to ChatGPT but nothing felt like us. We talked about what we had in common and with us all being from Newcastle, having met and gone to school together, that seemed a good place to start. The ‘Blue Star’ was inspired by the iconic logo of Newcastle Brown Ale and Newcastle United's most famous sponsor. From then on Blue Star stuck and Blue Star Rowing was born.’
As for their choice of charity, Mark explains that they spent around 12 months speaking with a number of charities. ‘They were all doing incredible work, but we struggled to find a cause that truly resonated with all three of us,’ he says. ‘That changed when we met Drew, the founder of Gym Possible. After hearing his story and learning more about the impact of spinal cord injuries, we knew we had found our “why”.’
In the UK, someone sustains a spinal cord injury roughly every two hours. What’s most striking is that these injuries often happen in completely ordinary moments – a Sunday bike ride, slipping in the kitchen, or diving into the sea on holiday. In an instant, someone’s life can change forever.
After a spinal cord injury, the journey to rebuilding independence is incredibly challenging. At the moment there is only one specialist rehabilitation centre in the whole of the UK dedicated to supporting people through that process. Gym Possible is working to change that. The mission is to create the first dedicated spinal cord injury rehabilitation hub in the North of England. The centre will be a place where people can access specialist gym facilities, physiotherapy and counselling all under one roof, helping them rebuild strength and confidence after life-changing injuries.
‘Supporting Gym Possible means helping create a facility that will transform lives, and that’s something we’re incredibly proud to be rowing for,’ says Mark.
As only a small number of people have managed to complete the row, we wanted to know what the team think will be the greatest part of the challenge. ‘I think the scale,’ admits Oli. ‘The length of the challenge puts a huge amount of pressure on us both mentally and physically. But I worry at times it will feel like we have a lack of momentum. On a very good day we would hope for 90 nautical miles. Out of the 3,000 that’s only three percent. It will be very important to stack little wins until the whole thing is done, but that's always easier said than done when you've barely slept and you're seasick and sunburnt.’
For Archie, his concerns centre around sleep and seasickness. ‘It is undoubtedly going to be an incredibly difficult challenge with lots of ups and downs. The sleep deprivation and seasickness are what all of us are not looking forward to most, and of course the 30-foot waves! But at the same time, there will be lots that will brighten up our day – spotting wildlife out in the middle of the ocean, the incredible sunrises and sunsets and of course the memories that we will make as a team.’
‘I’m really looking forward to those moments at sunrise,’ says Mark. ‘Knowing that with every new day we’ll hopefully be a little closer to the goal we’ve been working towards for the past three years. I’ve committed to making the lads a fresh batch of coffee for every sunrise, so that shared moment every 24 hours will be something we can all look forward to.’
So how do you train to row for 50 days, with two hours on and two off? ‘There are two main aspects to the training; the physical preparation and the skills of ocean rowing,’ Oli explains. ‘A huge amount of the winter has been spent on the physical hours on a rowing machine, or in the gym making sure our bodies are up to the task. We currently row about six hours a week with two or three hours in the gym, and that will build to 12 hours rowing. As we move into the summer the physical training is still going on, but we’ll transition to the ability to live and thrive on an ocean rowing boat.
‘When everything you have is limited to a 9.6-metre boat, thousands of miles from land, it is crucial that we can operate the boat safely. Critical skills like purifying water, communicating with our on-shore team and of course keeping the boat on course all have to be practiced. Training in the North Sea we have learned important skills that have allowed us to row safely using radios and maps as well as planning with weather and tides to ensure we are safe. We’ve also done a sea survival course which prepares us for the very worst-case scenario of the boat sinking or us having to abandon ship, and we’re also working with sports psychologists to understand how we think under stress – optimising our self talk as well as how we work together to ensure mental fitness is up to scratch.’
Having seen the size of the boat it is hard to comprehend how the three will manage the journey in such a small space. It’s an RX45 ocean rowing boat – a 9.6 metre carbon-fibre bit of kit designed specifically for long ocean crossings.
‘There are two cabins, one at each end of the boat, where we can all get the all-important bit of shut eye between rowing shifts. Cabins may be a generous description, they feel a bit more like coffins, especially when the lads are fully stretched out,’ laughs Archie. ‘But despite the limited space, there’s a surprising amount of storage onboard. We’ll be carrying all our safety and emergency equipment, along with enough food to keep us fuelled for up to 60 days at sea. The boat is powered electrically by solar panels which allow us to run essential systems such as the GPS and the auto-rudder. Thankfully that means we won’t have to steer the boat ourselves 24/7, so we're free to focus on rowing, eating, and trying to get as much rest as possible.’
The team start out from La Gomera in the Canary Islands in mid-December, and will row across the Tropic of Cancer to Antigua in the Caribbean. The world record for a three-man team is 35 days and the Blue Star team aim to get as close as possible to that time, though progress is heavily dependent on wind strength and direction. ‘If the wind is strong and behind us we'll be flying, but if it's not it will feel like we are rowing through custard!’ says Archie.
So do they think physical or mental fitness is most important when undertaking a challenge such as this? ‘I think all physical endurance challenges are achieved with mental fitness,’ Oli says. ‘The mind has the power to break you but also to keep you going. In training you can see how the mind can battle against you, and if you get it under control time can fly by but if it starts going the other way the negativity spiral builds and the 'suck' grows. Individually, and as a team, we need to win these mental battles.’
That’s where sleep deprivation may play a part. ‘The pressure cooker of sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion will no doubt test the team,’ admits Oli. ‘Sleep deprivation is going to be brutal,’ Archie continues. ‘It’ll affect our decision-making and patience, which means the odd unnecessary snap at each other is inevitable. But we’ve known each other since school, so we’re good at reading when someone needs space – or when they need putting back in their place!’
With no support boat, the team will rely on multiple communication devices on board for outside interaction. They will have VHF radios to speak with nearby ships, satellite phones for comms with the race directors and a weather router. And they’ll have a Starlink onboard which will let them periodically check in with home and send photos and videos back so their supporters can follow their progress.
With just the thought of some comfort food (Oli), a proper pillow and a cold pint (Archie), and a freshly made espresso (Mark) to keep them going ( as well as a celebratory reunion and well deserved holiday at the end) we wanted to know how we at home can help with the incredible challenge Blue Star Rowing are taking on.
‘The biggest way people can support us is by donating to the cause,’ says Mark. ‘Every penny really does make a difference. A donation of £100 will get your name on the side of our boat, so you can quite literally be part of the journey across the Atlantic. For businesses, we also have a range of sponsorship opportunities, including the chance to come out on the water with us and experience what ocean rowing is really like.
‘More than anything, we want as many people as possible to feel part of this project. So if you think you can help in any way, big or small, we’d love to hear from you!’
