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Oarfighting ready: Navy rowers set off on world’s toughest race across the Atlantic
15 December 2025
Four Royal Navy sailors are today West Indies bound having set off an epic row across 3,000 miles of the Atlantic.
The quartet are taking on the World’s Toughest Row, facing down the elements for an estimated 40 days alongside 42 other teams vying to reach the Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua and Barbuda.
They are the fifth Royal Navy team to row under the banner of the HMS Oardacious initiative – which is much more than just a rowing challenge.
It aims to raise awareness of – and provide support for those with - mental health issues, especially in the Royal Navy, with money raised from the endeavour going to the Service’s premier charity, the RNRMC to provide mental health and wellbeing support to serving personnel and their families.
So far the initiative has raised more than £1m.
In their 2025-26 incarnation, the Oardacious team is four-strong: two aircraft engineers (Commodore Richard Purdy (skipper) and Warrant Officer 1 Liam Hoddy) and two submariners: (Lt Cdr Guy Wilton (a weapons engineer) and Surg Lt Cdr Addison Taylor (a medical officer working in Glasgow Hospital A&E department).
As all the rowers hail from engineering and scientific (medical) professional backgrounds, they have used this year’s Oardacious campaign as a platform to highlight STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – and inspire young people to consider careers in these fields through an outreach programme.
The team spent the past two weeks in the Canaries carrying out final checks, tests and trials, as well as stocking up on supplies to sustain them (each rower will burn through 5,000 calories per day – 2½ times the average).
“Most of it comes from rehydrated rations - yes, boiled sea-water magic,” said Richard. “But stuffing 5,000 calories into freeze-dried mush isn’t exactly fun. That’s where snack packs come in. Easy to grab, packed with calories, and frankly, morale-saving.
“A chocolate bar mid-4am shift is pure gold. A handful of pork scratchings when the sun isn’t even up? Bliss. These little treats keep spirits high when your arms are jelly, the waves are angry, and land is nowhere to be seen.”
We are going to give it our all, leave nothing in the tank and absolutely go for it – we have an awesome crew and an awesome support team.
After several days of delays caused by poor weather, the rowers left La Gomera yesterday morning. And all being well Oardacious will reach the finish line around January 20 providing weather, currents and good fortune are with them.
“We’re said to be leaving friends and family at this time of year – like many sailors and Royal Marines, but we are absolutely ready and pumped up to represent the Royal Navy,” Richard said.
“We are going to give it our all, leave nothing in the tank and absolutely go for it – we have an awesome crew and an awesome support team.”
On the way they’ll face rowing in shifts of two hours on, two hours off, leading to sleep deprivation. They may encounter 40ft waves. They will certainly suffer sea sickness, salt sores and separation from loved ones (although the boat does have excellent communications links providing the rowers with Internet/Social Media/phone access).
After 24 hours, the team is placed sixth, making a steady 2.7kts having covered 67 nautical miles. The leaders, Swiss rowers 44 West, are already more than 30 nautical miles ahead of them.
This year’s race - involving more than 110 men and women from around the globe: 10 solo rowers, 11 pairs, half a dozen trios and in Oardacious’ category, 16 teams of four – is the third outing for the boat Captain Jim, named in honour of Captain Jim Simpson who tragically took his own life in 2020.
You can follow the team’s progress via https://www.hmsoardacious.com/ and support their fundraising efforts https://givestar.io/gs/hms-oardacious