Two Brighton and Hove doctors completed an epic charity crossing of the Indian Ocean yesterday (Friday 12 May) when they reached Mauritius.
Ted Welman, 26, who comes from Petworth and has a company based in Hove, and Jack Faulkner, 27, from Patcham, became only the fifth pair to row the 3,600-mile route.
The completed the journey in the fastest time for a pair, 56 days 23 hours and 45 minutes after leaving Western Australia. The previous record was 85 days.
They would have been quicker but officials refused to let them land without heading halfway round the island to the main port of Port Louis.
They hope to raise £100,000 for Médecins Sans Frontières, a global medical charity which provides much-needed emergency medical care in areas affected by conflicts, epidemics or natural disasters. The total has already topped £60,000.
After making land, Dr Faulkner said that he was overwhelmed and felt a huge sense of relief.
And the pair remain friends. Dr Faulkner said: “We did gel so well as a team. We both had strengths and weaknesses but they seemed to complement each other so well.
“We were very close friends and fortunately our friendship has only come together rather than being forced apart.”
The junior doctors met while studying medicine at Imperial College London and wanted to do something remarkable before becoming surgeons as well as raising money for an exceptional charity – Médecins Sans Frontières.
They said that 4,000 people had climbed Everest, 536 people had gone into space but only 20 had rowed the Indian Ocean.
To donate, go to https://www.pledgit.net/campaign/9RTdql.
