The row is complete!
The crew set off at 5:30am AWST on Thursday 11 May from Geraldton, WA. At 12:37pm local time on Wednesday 19th July they made land in Mauritius! A total crossing time of 69 days, 11 hours and 7 minutes.
Huge congratulations to the crew! They are now only the 61st, 62nd, 63rd and 64th people to have successfully rowed the Indian Ocean unsupported!
Thank you for following their journey. We will publish more blog posts in the coming days.
A big thank you to all the sponsors and individuals who have generously donated your time & money to make this possible! It's not too late to donate. Please use the donate button so we can raise as much money as we can for Parkinson's Disease Research!
INDI ROW 2023
IN SUPPORT OF THE BRAIN WAVES FOUNDATION
The team at IOR23 are delighted to welcome the support of British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director, Ben Elton. Ben, who divides his time between Western Australia and the UK, has family members who live with Parkinson’s Disease. “I am very aware of how debilitating the disease can be, and that there are some remarkable people researching for a cure. However, this cannot be achieved without fundraising and grants. Whilst some take the challenge of walking, running or cycling to raise funds; to row, unsupported, across the Indian Ocean is a truly courageous venture. I wish Chris and his team fair winds and following seas”.
Our Mission
To reach as many people as possible to raise awareness and money for Parkinson's Disease during our attempt to row unsupported across the Indian Ocean from Western Australia to Mauritius.
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The Skipper
The Fireman
The Sailor
Jack of All Trades
The Team
Chris, a former Royal Marine Commando, spent most of his career in the Royal Marines in small boat operations globally.
Chris has previously rowed across the Atlantic Ocean with his Brother in 2011 after finding out a close relative had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The crossing took them 64 days to complete.
He works in Submarine Rescue for the Australian Navy, often spending weeks at a time at sea. Chris maintains his fitness by rowing, playing rugby, diving and going to the gym.
Allan Huntly is a 55 year old retired Firefighter from Stirling Scotland. Married with two daughters and now works in his trade as a plumbing and heating engineer. Allan rowed with Team Tyne Innovation across the Atlantic with a record breaking time in the 2018/19 race .
He is a life long motorcyclist riding road and enduro having ridden round Australia and a keen hang glider and microlight pilot.
Allan is looking forward to being part of the Indi Row 23 team .
Ben is a Rope access technician and carpenter by trade, skills that will come in handy on the row!
He started sailing in 2015 and hasn't looked back, racing in 6 Sydney to Hobart’s, a Sydney to Noumea and an Antigua race week to name a few of his offshore adventures. Ben maintains his fitness and is turbo excited about doing the row! Ben is keen to support the cause and raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease.
Steve is a 58 year old ex Merchant Seaman who last travelled the Indian Ocean in the mid 80’s on board QE2. A further 21 years in the Fire Service allowed him to develop a strong teamwork ethic.
He is giving up his current role as an aircraft refueller at London Stansted, to fulfil his ambition of rowing across an ocean . Steve feels very humbled to join the team for such a worthy cause and excited at the prospect of spending time at sea under the Red Duster after so many years away.
He maintains his fitness with a range of bodyweight and kettlebell exercises, which he squeezes between his busy shift working life.
Our Sponsors
Become a Sponsor
CORPORATE SPONSORS
The journey to get to the start line can be as difficult as the actual row itself and poses just as many challenges. The work that goes into the logistics and funding of the challenge is often the biggest obstacle to overcome and would simply not be possible without the help and support of sponsors.
Do you, or someone you know, own a business looking for a unique sponsorship opportunity with the benefits of advertising on an international platform? We have a range of customisable sponsor packages to suit all budgets. Download our Sponsor Pack below for more information.
THE 500 CLUB
We are inviting local and small businesses to become part of the 500 club by donating $500 to help us get to the start. You get: your company logo on the outside of the boat, mention on our social media channels and your company name and hyperlink on our website. All donations contribute to the charity and the challenge. To become part of the 500 Club when donating (Through the Donate button) mark your donation as 500CLUB and include your company name. We will be in touch to arrange for your logo / branding on the boat and website.
THE 500 CLUB SPONSORS SO FAR
Ben Elton
Chris Rowe
Don Blair
Douglas Fitch
Jacqui & Phil Dalton
Kay Phipps
Kwinana Rotary
Linda Gorry
Lions Club of Leeuwin
Lord Digby Jones & Lady Pat
Lyn & Malcolm Weir
Martin Abbott
Masonic Lodge (Blair)
Ocean Keys Baptist Church
Palm Beach Rotary Club
Peter Hall
Pete, Louise & Mattie Schmidt
Tony Thatcher
West Perth Rotary
THE 100 CLUB
By donating $100 to the row you will contribute to the costs of the challenge and to the charity.
Member benefits include: your name on our boat, your name on our website (if you want it on there) and we will ask all 100 club members to write us a letter / postcard / story / draw us a picture (whatever you want to do) which we will open on the boat and share on social media. Simply write 100CLUB when you donate (Through the Donate button), we will contact you from there with further information.
THE 100 CLUB SPONSORS SO FAR
Adam Dodson
Adrian Hamill
Agnes Cleghorn
Alan Wishart
Allan & Merryl Gamble
Alyssa Watts
Anchorage Drive Physio
Andrew Strong
Anne & David Easton
Antonios Focas
Barb Murphy
Bev Cook
Bill Ritchie
Bob Mummery
Brad Chesson
Brett Allen
Brett Dowsing
Bruce Miethke
Camille Gribble
Carol Bartlett
Chad & Dianne Smith
Chantelle Wilkins
Charlie Noonan
Chris N McKenzie
Christina Jackson
Christopher Buet
Damian & Sally Tabram
Damian Maric
Damon Fealy
Dane Boulton
Daniel Brown
Daron Holmes
David Lee
David McCoy
David Muttrie
David Blazey
David Shewan
David Wotherspoon
Deb Sestak
Diane Bayliss
Dino Zavaroni
Doug Simpson
Duane Smith
Elana Melzak
Elisha Civil
Eric Kumar
Felice R
Flavia Di Pietro
Gail Poyner
Gary & Yvonne Duffield
Gavin Reeves
Gemma Bowie
Gregory B Cotten
Harry Hughes
Healthy Brain Mind & Soul
Heath Ronald
Heidi Branson
Helen Spiers
HMS Ganges Association
Ian Gawthrope
Ian Morris
Ian Salter
Ida Killigrew
Isabel Orchard
Jacky Mason
Jacqueline Sewhee
Janet Powell-Jones
Jayne Williams
Jean Stewart
Jim & Cathy Sharkey
Jim Challis
Jim Murphy
Joanne & John Greaves
Johan Ballot
John Burden
John Parkin
John Ramage
Joshua Shanks
Kate Gilder
Kelly Bell
Kevin Skipworth
Kylie Dixon
Laurie Anstey
Leslie Symonds
Lesley Waller
Lewis Hillman
Lindsey Hanson
Lorna Cook
Luke Charles Jones
Luke Dave
Mark Parsons
Matthias Conway
Melanie Hando
Michael & Erika Jackson
Michael McCourt
Michelle Beattie
Michelle Kiddie
Mike Deeks
Mitchell J Evans
Monica Wardman
Natalie Lareu
Naval Officers Club of WA
Noel Gothmann
Pamela McLennan
Papa Bear
Paul Middleton
Paul Paterson
Peter Aspinall
Peter Chilvers
Peter Cottam
Peter Cummings
Peter Dore
Peter Godfrey
Petrina Smith
Phillip Skelton
Rachel Baker
Raydon Gates
Richard Dellar
RNA Rockingham
Robert Clark
Robert Gibson
Rob Mitchell & Steph McKenzie
Robert Mo
Rod Johnson
Ruth Strong
Sally Parrett
Shonelle Royal
Simone Neutgens
Steve & Suzette Bailey
Steven Achilich
Steven Coull
Steve T
Stuart Gold
Sue Ryder
Sulev Koks
Sylvia Fell
Taufik Idru
Todd Anderson
Valerie Walker
Veronica McPhail
Vesna Lampalov Moretti
Vince Di Pietro
Wayne Tarr
Will Olsen
William Kennedy
Will Milner
William Park
Yvonne Huntly