Atlantic Titan is made up of just one person, 29-year-old Rob
Hamilton. Rob has always enjoyed pushing himself to find his
limit. He has completed two ultra-mountain marathons, is a
climber, a technical diver, a powerlifter and has travelled to
48 countries so far, with a particular fascination for the
Middle East.
In 2016 Rob achieved a lifelong dream when he started his
training to become an officer in the British Army at the Royal
Military Academy Sandhurst. However, shortly after starting his
training he injured his knee and was medically discharged. The
diagnosis – avascular necrosis resulting in a partially dead
knee, three months on crutches and no more long-distance
running.
This was certainly a shock to his system and while he had always
wanted to take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge,
this unfortunate turn of events meant he is now more determined
than ever to not only complete the crossing but win the solo
category. With the goal of proving to himself and others that
injuries and life changing events need not be a barrier for
achieving extraordinary things.
The Challenge
You would be hard pressed to find a better way of achieving this
than to row across the Atlantic. The Talisker Whisky Atlantic
Challenge is often touted as the world’s toughest race and the
premier event in ocean rowing, and with good reason. The 3000-mile
race starts every December in La Gomera, the Canary Islands and
finishes up to three months later in Antigua. Rob will be totally
unsupported, carrying everything he needs for the crossing on his
boat and won’t leave his boat until he reaches Antigua.
Rowing across the Atlantic presents many challenges, including -
Sleep Deprivation – Rowing for up to 18 hours a
day is exhausting, giving very little time to sleep, coupled with
the fact that sleeping in an ocean rowing boat is often quite
bumpy. Ocean rowers frequently report hallucinations.
Salt Sores – Salt from the ocean gets everywhere,
all over your skin and clothes. With nowhere to wash the salt can
often lead to painful sores which have the potential to lead to
infection.
Dehydration – With temperatures in excess of 30
degrees, no shade on the boat and rowing all day, every day,
dehydration is a real risk. The onboard watermaker is therefore a
vital piece of equipment.
Waves – Waves in the Atlantic can be big, really
big, up to 30ft (9 metres) high, in fact. This may be ok in a
larger ocean-going vessel but in a small 24ft (7.3 metres) rowing
boat it can lead to capsizes.
Food – Spending all this time rowing burns a huge
number of calories, approximately 8000 a day. However, rowers
typically only manage to eat 6000 calories a day. Therefore, Rob
will likely lose between 10kg and 15kg on the crossing. This may
be exacerbated by bouts of sea sickness which drain energy and
motivation making it all that much harder.
Overall, the mental challenge of rowing across an ocean outweighs
the physical. There are times during the race where the water will
be 5km deep and you will be closer to someone in space than on
land. Indeed, more people have been into space than have rowed
across an ocean, let alone completed a solo crossing.
Just making it to the start line is an impressive feat, with
£110,000 required to cover race costs including the build and
purchase of the boat from Rannoch Adventure, all the navigation,
emergency and communications equipment as well as shipping costs,
the race entrance fee and mandatory courses. Rob is actively
searching for sponsors to join him on this incredible adventure to
prove that injury and life changing events do not need to be a
barrier to success. Information on sponsor packages which start
from £5,000 can be found below. Please download sponsor document
below for more information and feel free to contact Rob through
the contact form below.
250 Club
If you would like to help Rob reach the start line by supporting
his race costs for smaller amount, he has now started a “250
club”. In exchange for £250, your logo or name (or whatever you
want, within reason) can be placed on the boat! If you would like
to donate, please follow the link to the crowdfunding page below.
Rob is raising money for two extremely worthwhile causes,
Collateral Repair Project (CRP), a refugee support organisation based in Amman, Jordan. And the
Invictus Games Foundation (IGF)
which supports and empowers service personnel from around the
world who have suffered life changing injuries, visible or
otherwise. Rob has previously worked for CRP in 2018 and his short
stint training to be an officer in the British Army has given him
an appreciation of the needs of both refugees and veterans.
Both organisations support victims of conflict and Rob’s campaign
aims to draw support for what is essentially two sides of the same
coin. Rob is hoping to raise £50,000 for these two charities with
all contributions split evenly between them.
When most people think about the refugee crisis, they think of
boats making dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean, and
families crowded into tents in European camps. But the reality is
that the vast majority of displaced people never reach Europe.
This is where CRP comes in. Since 2006, CRP have supported urban
refugees in Amman. The organisation tries to meet the immediate
needs of its beneficiaries by distributing food vouchers and
providing medical support. They give out warm clothes and heaters
in the winter, and back-to-school supplies in September. At their
community centre in east Amman they offer classes and activities
focusing on education and trauma relief.
On a trip to the Warrior Games in the USA in 2013, HRH The Duke of
Sussex saw first-hand how the power of sport can help physically,
psychologically and socially those suffering from injuries and
illness. He was inspired by his visit and the Invictus Games was
born. The Games have been supporting wounded service personnel
since 2014, when the inaugural Invictus Games were held in London.
The organisation harness’ the power of sport to inspire recovery,
support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and
respect for those who serve their country.
If you would like to help Rob meet his fundraising goal, please
follow the link below.
