Rowing Stones – ex marine and Southampton Solent University student attempts charity row around the UK
Southampton Solent University student Steen Stones is attempting to row 2,500 miles around the UK in a restored 26 year-old Australian surfboat to raise £50,000 for charity.
Steen and his five crew members from Bournemouth Surf Boat Club will attempt a Guinness World Record by using the restored surfboat, as well as raising money for their two chosen charities, The Royal Marines Association and Wessex Cancer Trust.
Donning their speedos to help reach their fundraising target, the team aim to complete the challenge in 100 days, calling at 90 ports, rowing an average of 25 miles a day and broadcasting live video blogs. They’ll also consume around 5000 calories a day just to maintain their rowing power.
Thirty year-old part-time Business Studies student Steen, who served with the Royal Marine Commandos for five years, says: “I toured Afghanistan three times, so danger isn’t unusual for me and I’m looking forward to the challenge.
“The Royal Marines Charitable Trust is particularly close to my heart,” he continues, “they have supported wounded friends and also the families of those who sadly did not come back.
Propelled by four 15 foot oars, the restored surfboat is an old, 26 foot long, Australian rescue craft that has been adapted to be used in this high-adrenaline water sport.
The idea of the ‘Around the UK Charity Row’ challenge came from team member Ellis Hagger, an extra in Ridley Scott’s movie Robin Hood. He said: “We had so much fun on the film set that we decided to take up the sport of surfboat rowing and set about restoring an old Australian surf boat. When that was completed we all thought it would be a great challenge to take it out on the water and see what it could do!”
Due to set sail in May 2015, training is now underway and the six-man crew are looking to secure sponsors and supporters to raise the £40,000 needed to complete the challenge.
See the crew in training – in their speedos – on 18 December (between 9am and 8pm) at Castlepoint shopping centre in Bournemouth. A patrons’ evening for existing and potential supporters is being held on 19 February 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE MEDIA OFFICE ON 023 8201 3642 or press.office@solent.ac.uk
About Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University offers more than 23,000 students over 200 qualifications ranging from HND to PhD, in subjects such as maritime education and training, fashion and design, media and television, music, health, sport and leisure, business, IT and technology. The University was awarded the 2013 Quality Assurance kitemark for quality and standards of teaching and learning. Solent was voted one of the most creative universities in the UK in a Which? University 2014 poll of students. Solent Business School has been awarded the Small Business Charter Award, which is supported by the Association of Business Schools and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and ‘gold approval’ by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
About the Around the UK Charity Row
A small group of rowers from Bournemouth Surf Boat Club, which was formed on 4 July 2009, the team’s aim is to ‘boldly row a surf boat where no one has surf rowed before’ - circumnavigating Britain to raise as much money and awareness as possible for their two chosen charities. The crew will arrive in port in their speedos and hope the charity row will be recognised by the Guinness Book of Records under the category of ‘oldest Australian surfboat to circumnavigate Britain.’
For more information and to follow the latest progress of the charity row, visit www.ukcharityrow2015.com, www.facebook/ukcharityrow2015.com, follow @ukcharityrow2015 or email steen.stones@ukcharityrow2015.com.
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