Rowers close in on record

The Dartmouth-based team set off from the Canaries on 20 January

A group of Devon rowers say they still hope to beat the record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat.

The Dartmouth-based team set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on 20 January on their 2,907-mile journey.

But they need to arrive in Barbados before 1930 GMT on Tuesday if they are to set the record for the fastest crossing in a rowing boat.

That was set by an 11-strong French crew, who crossed the Atlantic in 35 days, eight hours and 30 minutes in 1992.

The four-man Devon crew of Phil Langman, Jason Hart and Yorkie Lomas from Dartmouth, and Shaun Barker, who is also from Dartmouth but now lives in Paignton, was comfortably on target for the record bid.

We have had a couple of breaks on the boat, with the steering going this morning Phil Langman

But unfavourable wind conditions and a few problems on board their 24 feet carbon fibre boat Queensgate have held them back in the past 48 hours.

Speaking on Monday, Mr Langman said: "Our main aim was to get to the other side and finish and that is definitely going to happen.

"We are still hoping to come in on Tuesday, which is day 35 of the journey, but because of the winds and a few problems we have had, we don't think we are going to get in under the 35-day mark.

"We have had a couple of breaks on the boat, with the steering going this morning and, after a pretty good day on Sunday, we have become a bit disheartened today because we have got no wind again.

Record books

"The wind has dropped right off and our speed has dropped down, but we are still going in the right direction."

Even if they miss the French time, the rowers will still enter the record books.

No four-man team has ever before rowed an Ocean Fours boat across the Atlantic.

They should also beat the current record for a small rowing boat of 40 days.