Neil and Peter are set for the race of their lives when they attempt to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in December.

THE GRANDADS of the Atlantic (think Pirates of the Caribbean on a pension) are a double-act rowing team who will attempt to set a world record as the oldest pair to row across the Atlantic as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. When they start, they will have a combined age of 123 years old.

The pair of adventurous old pals are intent on breaking the world record using all the skill and knowledge they’ve gained from the varied and adventurous lives they’ve lived. Here Peter, one half of the team, talks us through how they intend to see through the challenge and what it is about their friendship that they feel gives them a head-start when the race commences in December. 

To find out about the twosome, their preparations for their mammoth row which lies ahead and to donate to the worthy causes they are raising money for visit www.grandadsoftheatlantic.com.

Tell us about how you all met and what it is that has kept you so close as friends for 40 years?

We met 40 years ago when we served together as Parachute Regiment officers and also played rugby for our our battalion (2 Para) (I was the scrum half, Neil was the fly half). You tend to form lifelong friendships with people you serve alongside,when you’ve all pushed yourself and faced the toughest circumstances together. We’ve both seen active service and lost mutual friends, so there is a bond and a comradeship that will always be there. Although we haven’t spent that much time together since leaving the Army, we know that we can absolutely rely on each other. That will really matter when we are facing huge waves and sleep deprivation in the middle of the Atlantic!

Who came up with the idea of ‘Grandads of the Atlantic’ and how long did it take to for the other to agree take on the challenge?

The challenge was Neil’s idea  – he met someone at the gym last summer who had completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic challenge in 2015 with Row2Recovery. He liked the idea of doing it, asked me if I would be interested and I thought, why not?!  I was at a point in my life where I could give up work and we are both still physically fit. Originally Neil wanted to try and put a four-man team together with some of the other guys from the Regiment. However, we quickly realised the logistics would be impossible with everyone scattered around the country with work and family commitments, so we decided to enter as a pair instead.  

Can you tell us who exactly will be rowing and the special roles any of you have in the challenge?

This is an equal partnership – neither of us have any special skills for this challenge as we are both new to rowing and the sea, so we are learning everything together from scratch! In terms of the rowing,  we will row together for some of the time but mostly we will row individually in two hour shifts, to keep the boat moving forward 24-hours a day. The only time we will stop is when it is unsafe for us to be on deck due to stormy conditions. We will keep in touch with the organisers via radio but we won’t have a support vessel alongside us or anything like that – it’s just us and the boat.

The only other person involved is my wife (Sally) who is acting as our comms manager and will relay any satellite updates to our social media feeds while we are out at sea.

Neil and Peter have been great friends for over 40 years.

Tell us more about the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Row and what will be involved?

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is described as the world’s toughest rowing race. We will be one of approximately 30 teams (solos, pairs, trios and four-man teams) rowing from La Gomera to Antigua – a distance of 3,000 miles. It is highly unlikely we will see any of the other teams during the race. Everyone chooses their own course and takes enough supplies for up to 70 days at sea, so you are unassisted apart from checks-in via radio with the race organisers.

The pair are training four to five times a week even though the race is not until December.

How hard are you training and what does your routine consist of? How often are you able to all get together to prepare?

At the moment, we are training separately four to five days a week. Neil has a rowing machine at home and also goes to his local gym in Hereford. I am working with a coach at my local rowing club (Southsea) but we compare notes to follow a similar programme and we train together when we can. Each training session usually consists of intervals on a rowing machine with core strengthening and condition workouts in-between. Once we take delivery of our boat at Easter, we will start training together out on the water weekly until the end of October, rowing around Portsmouth Harbour, the Solent and the south coast. 

We are also ‘training our brains’ and have recently spent eight days together at sea school learning nautical navigation, first aid, survival at sea and VHF radio. 

What are your aims for the race and what are any fears you may have?

To be honest, our aim is just to finish! As men in our sixties we are under no illusions about trying to break any speed records and we are slightly worried that our heads are much younger than our bodies… However, the Parachute Regiment teaches you that you can push yourself much further than you think, so we’ll give it a damn good try.  But we are also doing this to raise a lot of money for our chosen charities.

The Parachute Regiment has also produced some fine Atlantic rowers in the past. Sergeant Chay Blyth and Captain John Ridgway were the first pair (back in 1966). Captain Jon Armstrong and Lance Corporal Jordan Beecher are now the fastest pair (‘Team Trident’ smashed the world record this year, doing it in just 37 days). If we finish, we will set a new world record as the oldest pair, with a combined age of 123 years old.  

Tell us about the charities you will be raising money for and why they are so close to your hearts?

We are supporting three charities: Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), Dreams Come True and Support Our Paras. 

• RBLI is an obvious choice because they support Armed Forces Veterans and their families who may be struggling due to injury, mental illness, disability or social issues. They are a small but wonderful organisation who provide very practical support to help people gain independence through welfare, employment, accommodation and training opportunities.
• Dreams Come True are a small charity which enables children with severe and life threatening conditions fulfil a personal dream. Neil and I both feel incredibly lucky that we have been able to pursue our own dreams and we believe that everyone deserves that chance – particularly children who would not have the opportunity without help.
• Support our Paras looks after the welfare of Parachute Regiment soldiers and families and those affected by recent military operations, so this is obviously very close to our hearts. The Parachute Regiment has also been incredibly supportive of our challenge, so this is one way we can say thank you. 

How can our readers get in touch, donate and follow your progress during the race?

Please donate online through our website: www.grandadsoftheatlantic.com. Or join us for a chat on social media:  Facebook:https:, www.facebook.com/GrandadsRow/ , Instagram: www.instagram.com/grandadsoftheatlantic/

and Twitter https://twitter.com/GrandadsRow