A team of 4 friends from South Africa are taking on one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet: rowing unaided across the Atlantic Ocean!

 

Grant, Cole, Lee and Matthew are four close friends who have been rowing together for over 10 years throughout school and university. The guys are determined to conquer the wind, the waves and each other’s company in a bid to make a difference in South Africa through education.

The friends are the only South African team to have entered the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge and will also become the youngest people to have ever rowed across the Atlantic, unaided!

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is the world’s No.1 ocean enduro-race and is widely considered to be one of the hardest challenges on the planet: racing across the Atlantic Ocean in nothing but a rowing boat.

The guys who call themselves Team MAD 4 Waves, will be setting off from the Canary Islands on their 5 500 km journey across the Atlantic on 22 November 2018. The lads will be taking on the extreme challenges of the Atlantic, with their sights firmly set on being amongst the first boats to arrive and embrace the crowds in Antigua.

“We will be rowing 2 hours on, 2 hours off, non-stop, day and night until we reach the finish (around 40-60 days later)! This crossing is known as one of the hardest endurance races on the planet with more people having summited Everest, journeyed the North Pole or ventured into space.”

Through their campaign, the team will be raising funds for education in South Africa. The team has partnered with the Make a Difference (MAD) Leadership Foundation with the objective of sponsoring a promising child through high school and also raising funds to provide desks for 1000 learners across South Africa.

“Complementing our passion for the challenge of rowing across the Atlantic is the desire to make a difference in the world. We have partnered with the MAD Leadership Foundation and will be raising funds in an effort to play a part in tackling one of South Africa’s biggest problems, education.”

“As of 2017, only 39% of all South Africans that start school pass matric. Education is one of the greatest problems facing South Africa and it’s our responsibility as South Africans to do all that we can to fix it. As of 2017, only 39% of all South Africans that start school pass matric. Education is one of the greatest problems facing South Africa and it’s our responsibility as South Africans to do all that we can to fix it.”

The team are inviting all South Africans to join their campaign to make a difference too.

“Your support can help us conquer the Atlantic and together we can make a difference in South Africa by facilitating improved education opportunity.”

For more information or to follow their journey, click here or watch the teaser video below:


Sources: Mad 4 Waves
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens.
Click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast, with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll hopefully leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *