Crew complete row in "unbearable" seas

1:01pm Sunday 18th May 2008

Resilience, character and determination carried Llanion Warriors Celtic Rowing Club over the turbulent Irish Sea for the bi-annual Celtic Challenge 2008.

The team, based in the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock area, undertook the gruelling challenge of rowing from Arklow in Ireland to Aberystwyth to raise money for registered charities Macmillan Cancer Support and Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

The experience was particularly emotional for those on board the rowing boat with two members of the crew having lost siblings at a young age - hence the support for CRY - and everyone on board had been touched in some way by the effects of cancer.

Crews found the achievement all the more exhilarating when they learned that seven of the 13 teams had pulled out of the race when rough conditions proved unbearable.

The race, originally scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd, was postponed until the next day following a poor weather forecast, but as Sunday arrived, strong headwinds and choppy sea told the Llanion Warriors that the journey would be rougher than anticipated.

With a support team on board the yacht Moondust, skippered by Steve and Lynne Badham, three crews of four rowers rotated on an hourly basis, before fatigue and sickness forced crews to shorten stints.

Club secretary Darrell Willington said: "The first team were soaked within minutes or the start. The weather did not settle as promised, but the crews battled through tough seas for fourteen hours.

"Copious amounts of bananas, chocolate, Lucozade and hot tea kept everyone going."

With ages ranging from 21 to 53, the team, which included carpenters, teachers, farmers, a dentist, electricians, mothers, nurses an ICT specialist and a merchant seaman, were greeted at the harbour by wives, partners, families and Macmillan Committee members.

To make a donation, contact Richard Jelley on 01646 682204.