The Rowers

Paul Milnthorpe

Age : 27
Hometown: Weston-s-Mare
Occupation: Veterinary Surgeon, Grange Veterinary Hospital, Mold, North Wales
Previous events/races/challenges: London Half Marathon 2005, Three Peaks Challenge 2006, English Channel Row 2007, London Marathon 2007, Eddystone Challenge 2009

Jim Houlton

Age: 25
Hometown: Pulborough, West Sussex
Occupation: Veterinary Surgeon, Tibbs & Simmons, Redhill, Nr Bristol
Previous events/races/challenges: Cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats 2001, Three Peaks Challenge 2006, English Channel Row 2007, Eddystone Challenge 2009

Paul and Jim have known each other for 5 years since studying Veterinary Science at the University of Bristol. Their first challenge together was the Three peaks challenge attempted in 2006 and completed in under 21 hours with the aid of some very fast driving between mountains. (See photos below)

Ben Nevis

Snowdon

Scafell Pike

With that challenge completed and one too many beers, they thought a new challenge was in order. So, as neither of them had ever really rowed before they settled upon ….rowing to France. A few months later the boat (a Virus Yole) was purchased and the hard work of learning to row began. Within 8 months they had been asked to leave a local lake, almost sunk by another rowing team (naming no names…UWE), attacked by hooded youths and were able to row virtually non stop for 25 miles. In June 2006 they set off from Felixstowe and arrived somewhere on the French coast, 22.2 miles from the start, 5 hours and 56 minutes later. Once recovered and their appetite for rowing not yet satisfied the idea of entering the Woodvale Atlantic rowing race 2009 was born.