On August 30, three Scottish brothers completed a record-breaking journey: They rowed more than 9,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean in 139 days. Jamie, Ewan, and Lachlan Maclean started in Peru and rowed nonstop until they reached Australia. They’re the first team to complete the full crossing.
It was an unsupported row, which means the brothers received no help along the way. The previous record for the fastest unsupported Pacific row was 160 days. That crossing was made by Russian solo rower Fyodor Konyukhov, in 2014. Not only did the Macleans break the record. They’ve also raised more than £914,249 (about $1,229,250) for clean-water projects through their charity, the Maclean Foundation.
The trip wasn’t easy: The Associated Press (AP) reported that the brothers endured “seasickness, injuries, and violent storms.” The eldest brother, 33-year-old Ewan, says the journey was the hardest thing he’s ever done—but worth the trouble. “We’ve shed tears of joy and laughed till our cheeks hurt,” he told the AP.
The brothers rowed into the Cairns Marlin Marina playing the bagpipes and waving the flags of Scotland, Australia, and the United Kingdom. They were greeted by more than 50 family members and fans.
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