Rowers make history with race win

The rowers were greeted by family and friends on arrival in Mauritius

Four rowers have made history by becoming the first team of four to row from Australia to Mauritius.

Matt Hellier, 20, brothers Nick and Phil McCorry, aged 25 and 24, and Ian Allen, 25, are all members of Bexhill Rowing Club in East Sussex.

They began the non-stop 3,132 nautical mile Woodvale Challenge race across the Indian Ocean in April, finishing in 68 days, 19 hours and 40 minutes.

Mr Allen is from Sevenoaks, in Kent, while the other three are from Bexhill.

They ended their epic journey in the 29ft-long Bexhill Trust Challenger at 2240 GMT, and were greeted by about 40 family and friends who let off flares and fireworks in celebration.

The crossing was an amazing adventure for all of us Phil McCorry, crew member

The group, who rowed in pairs on two-hour shifts, admitted that it had been touch and go towards the end of their journey as the rudder on their boat had broken, and they only had six meals left between them.

The Woodvale Challenge website said the four life-long friends had "made history by winning the first ever Indian Ocean Rowing Race".

It said by winning the race, the crew had become "the first ever team of four to row across the Indian Ocean and crew member Matt Hellier is the youngest".

They had set off from Geraldton, in Western Australia, together with nine other international crews in the race to get the title.

'Faultless campaign'

Phil McCorry said: "We are totally overwhelmed to finally be here. The crossing was an amazing adventure for all of us but to win the race as well, was an added bonus.

"We would like to thank all our wonderful supporters who have followed and encouraged us all the way across the Indian Ocean and who have done an incredible job in raising valuable funds for our charity, The Stroke Association.

"We are now looking forward to a long hot shower, some fresh food and a full night of sleep in a bed that doesn't move."

Simon Chalk, chairman of Woodvale Challenge, said there had only been four successful crossings prior to the race which "proves how difficult this adventure is".

"The guys onboard Bexhill have run a faultless campaign from start to finish and their success is completely justified," he said.

The team invested £20,000 of their own money in the race and had more than 400 private and company sponsors.

They have raised thousands of pounds for The Stroke Association, in a race which they began preparing for two years ago.