Four rowers from three generations set to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean for charity

Four rowers from three generations are preparing to take on the challenge of a lifetime this December — rowing across the Atlantic Ocean as part of the World’s Toughest Row.

Team “Give Us A Wave” will set off from La Gomera, in the Canary Islands and row 3,000 miles to Antigua in the Caribbean.

They will row in pairs, two hours on, two hours off for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, facing 40-foot waves, scorching heat, exhaustion, salt sores, isolation and total self-sufficiency at sea – all while on their boat Oardrey which is just under nine metres long.

Hoping to take approximately 40 days to complete the row, Give Us A Wave have to take on about 5,000 calories each per day, will row in excess or 1.5 million oar strokes, will need to consume at least 10 litres of water each per day and will not have a flushing toilet on board, just a bucket!

The crew is made up of Grant McGregor (Alveston, South Gloucestershire), Tom Curtis (Thornbury, South Gloucestershire), Tim Stone (Drewsteignton, Devon) and Rhys Owen (Portsmouth, Hampshire) – currently serving in the Royal Navy.

Spanning three generations, the team brings together a unique mix of backgrounds — from engineering and business to service in the Royal Navy — united by a shared spirit of adventure and a determination to make a difference.

But the team’s mission goes far beyond the crossing itself. Give Us A Wave are rowing to raise funds and awareness for four incredible charities close to their hearts:

The Grand Appeal – supporting Bristol Children’s Hospital and sick children across the South West

Andys Man Club – promoting men’s mental health and wellbeing

The Marine Conservation Society – protecting and restoring the health of our oceans

Exeter Chiefs Foundation – supporting local charities and community groups across Devon

The World’s Toughest Row is widely regarded as one of the hardest endurance events on Earth, and fewer people have rowed across an ocean than have climbed Mount Everest.

By taking on the World’s Toughest Row, Give Us A Wave aims to raise thousands of pounds for charity and inspire others — young and old alike — to take on their own challenges.

“This is about pushing ourselves to the limit for causes that really matter,” said Grant McGregor, skipper of the crew.

“We’re just four ordinary guys taking on an extraordinary challenge — we want to inspire our children and our local communities that anything is possible when you put yourself out there. We’ve all come to this from different walks of life, but we share the same goal — to work as a team, cross the Atlantic, and raise as much as we can for these amazing charities. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime challenge, and knowing it will make a difference gives us huge motivation.”