Rowers unite for Children in Need

Gus McKechnie broke the world record for 24-hour rowing on Friday, as rowers across the country took to their indoor rowing machines in aid of Children in Need.

Gus rowed a colossal 153,683 metres between 5pm Thursday and Friday on an indoor rowing machine in Southampton, smashing the existing 24-hour rowing record by more than 12 kilometres.

The Adaptive rower and rowing coach – who has congenital hemiparesis, a form of cerebral palsy – broke the record in the Legs, Trunks, and Arms only category.

He undertook the challenge alongside staff from the Red Funnel Isle of Wight Ferries, who also raised money for Children in Need with a 24-hour team cycle challenge.

For more information on Gus’s epic challenge, and to make a donation to Children in Need, visit the Red Funnel Just Giving page.

In the South West, the University of Plymouth Rowing Club undertook a charity row of their own, using two ergometers to row 1,348,000m in 48 hours.

The team rowed the distance between Lands End and John O’Groats in 47 hours and seven minutes, and have so far raised over £2,200 for Children in Need.

In Somerset, a team of fitness instructors attempted to row the distance between Dover and Calais as many times as possible in 12 hours.

The staff from Double Tree by Hilton, Cadbury House Hotel, Nailsea, undertook the Dover to Calais Channel Challenge in the foyer of the hotel’s health club, with the aim of raising £1,500.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the country in North Shields, workers at the Port of Tyne rowed the distance between Newcastle and Amsterdam in less than 16 hours.

The workers used indoor rowing machines donated by DW Sports to row over 300 miles.

‘Everyone has been so enthusiastic about doing their bit to raise money,’ said Geoff Gillon, Human Resources Director at Port of Tyne.

‘The Port is more than happy to get involved and raise money for such a worthy cause.’