WAVES4HOPE saw a seven-man crew with zero rowing experience set sail in a Cornish gig boat and row 50 miles non-stop for 12 hours. The row was from Nieuwport to Ramsgate and the aim was to raise £30,000 for cancer charities.
The team recently completed the challenge and smashed their target with funds raised currently nearing the £40,000 mark.
Could you tell us more about Waves4Hope and how you got the team together?
All the wrong-side of 30, our group of friends were all in need of a big challenge to get us out of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles – we all recognised this a few years ago but never did anything about it. When my Mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I was adamant that I would make this happen and more so, would ensure we raised money for cancer charities. It was almost a cathartic process for me to have a positive focus.
After identifying a challenge that would put everyone on an equally inexperienced level while achieving something iconic, we then had to find some willing participants. I researched the timeframes, sourced the costs and sent out an email to my closest 15 friends. Within a few hours I had a crew of six enthused – more than I could ever image possible. They were the best six people I could have asked for – all incredibly reliable, uncompromisingly determined and all with their own personal cancer demons to exorcise.
What charity are you raising money for and what’s your target amount?
The crew is committed to raising money for three charities that cover the entire spectrum of care for patients, from research to treatment to respite care. The crew have all had their share of cancer tragedies from parents to siblings and, as such, we took a vote to help the charities that have not only helped us, but also some smaller charities who struggle to generate funds themselves.
The initial challenge was to raise £20,000 but the idea really captured the imagination of the public and we’re now on course to hit £40,000. The public’s generosity has been nothing short of breath-taking. We could say thank you for 1,000 years and it wouldn’t be enough.
How intensive was the the training and did you have a good support network of coaches and experts?
On average training consisted of three days of weights, two days rowing and one day running, plus some of us also cycle to and from work. It sounds a lot, but is just an hour per session in reality. Our rowing coaches, Shelley and Mike at Langstone cutters had devised a fitness and nutrition plan which they were able to evaluate when we sea-rowed approximately every one to two months, while Emily at Virgin Active fixed our aches and pains when we broke ourselves.
We did have a varied regime though and ticked off the London Marathon, Judgement Day, Muddy Mucker and various 100-mile sportives along the way to maintain interest and also enforce our strong team ethic.
What was the responsibility like of being skipper for the row and how hard was it to motivate the others around you?
Personally I pushed myself as hard as I could to ensure that when we needed to put our bodies on the line, I could lead from the front – but that was the easy part. I lived and breathed this project for over a year so the hardest thing was finding time for my wife, family and friends while searching for sponsors, coordinating dates and creating fundraising events.
I would be doing the boys a huge injustice if I said I needed to motivate them. Each of them had someone they are doing this for and each of them signed a charter committing themselves physically and financially to the cause. But we all need some help sometimes when the winter days are long, cold and wet. Helene Raynsford, the Paralympic sculls champions from Beijing 2008 became a friend of the crew and her story of fighting breast cancer gave us that additional inspiration to makes this challenge a success.
You’ve all been friends for many years – how much does that help you in being confident you would succeed in your challenge?
Undoubtedly that gives us an edge to succeed. Our trust throughout the boat was absolutely implicit to our success. For many of the crew, their biggest fear wasn’t letting themselves down, but letting the crew down, which speaks volumes about their commitment to each other.
For me, one moment sticks out; when I couldn’t attend the first team meeting, due to my mum being gravely ill, the crew sent a picture of them in their Waves4Hope shirts with a sign saying ‘All for you Sue,’ which she smiled at. Every time I trained, every time I struggled, that moment was there. These boys weren’t my friends, but my brothers.
Can people still donate to the cause and if so how?
The easiest way to donate is to visit the link below. Please help us hit £40,000!
