TALISKER CHALLENGE
Each year, Talisker Whiskey presents the Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000 mile race across the Atlantic, otherwise known as the world’s toughest row. A testament to endurance, preparation, and hard work, the row attracts 100 or so participants annually, inviting these individuals and the world, to partake in an incomparable journey.
There are sound historical reasons for Talisker sponsoring the challenge. Its founders, the MacAskill brothers, rowed from Eigg to Skye to found their distillery almost 200 years ago. “And just like our founders’ row to establish the Talisker distillery which has endured gales, storms, a fire and time and tide for almost 200 years, this challenge represents adventure, strength of character and showcases what it means to be made by the sea,” Sarah Fleming of Talisker.
Facing the open sea head-on, entrants row in crews of fours, threes, twos and soloists- typically rowing for 2 hour intervals, taking turns sleeping, waking up and grabbing the oars. The journey ranges from 32 - 86 days, though the adventure lasts a lifetime.
This premier event in ocean rowing - takes rowers more than 3,000 miles west from La Gomera, Canary Islands to English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda. The annual race begins in early December, with up to 35 teams participating from around the world. Each team dedicates as much time training as to fundraising for charity, with over $7 million raised for charities worldwide over the past 4 races.