Yeadon's Atlantic rower will go the extra mile for charity (From Wharfedale Observer)

Yeadon's Atlantic rower will go the extra mile for charity

9:05am Friday 19th October 2007 in Local news By Andrea Hardaker

A Yeadon man who is hoping to break an Atlantic rowing record is offering to dedicate miles at sea to supporters back at home.

Ben Thackwray is part of a specially selected all-British team attempting to break the longest-standing and most sought-after record in ocean rowing.

The team is also raising money for Wateraid, which aims to overcome poverty by giving some of the world's poorest people access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Now, former Menston schoolboy Ben is inviting people to support the Atlantic attempt and raise money for Wateraid from the comfort of their own homes. He will dedicate his miles at sea to individual sponsors and will display their names on his website.

Ben, 27, who has climbed an Alaskan mountain, run through blistering heat in the Saharan desert and is now planning to run 550 miles across a Greenland icecap, has never done any competitive rowing before.

But he is in training to beat the record for crossing the Atlantic, which was set back in 1992 by an all-French team, and which stands at 35 days, eight hours and 30 minutes.

He said: "This is one of my life ambitions and will be the most challenging and dangerous thing I have done to date. But we are confident that we have the right team and the right boat to bring the record back for Great Britain."

Anyone who donates funds to the cause can have miles at sea dedicated to themselves or to someone else.

Their name will be displayed on Ben's website and when the team has completed the miles the sponsors, a personal message and a thank you' will be displayed on the website's progress report.

Donations can be made online, and further details are available at www.benthackwray.com