Angus launches record-breaking attempt to become the first person to row non-stop, solo and unsupported around Great Britain
The world’s most successful ocean rower took to the Solent this afternoon (Saturday) as part of his mission to become the first person to row non-stop, solo and unsupported around Great Britain.
Angus Collins began his new world record attempt from Portsmouth Harbour at 1pm, in the hope of becoming the first person ever to row around Great Britain non-stop, solo and unsupported.
The challenge, which has never before been successfully completed, will see Angus face up to 18 hours of rowing a day across a distance of almost 2,000 miles in an effort to raise £250,000 for men’s suicide prevention charity James’ Place.
Buoyed by moderate winds, the Hambledon resident, headed out of the Harbour into the Solent and on towards the Bournemouth coast. He will continue to row in a clockwise direction around Great Britain in order to take advantage of the prevailing south-westerly winds.
The perilous route, which Angus is aiming to complete in between 30 and 60 days, means that he must navigate Europe’s biggest whirlpool as well as a ‘shipwreck graveyard’ and the English Channel - the world’s busiest shipping lane - without any help or support.
Angus, who is the youngest man to break world records rowing across the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans, is a passionate mental health advocate and is rowing to raise £250,000 for men’s suicide prevention charity James’ Place, which offers free and life saving treatment to men in suicidal crisis.
Despite his prowess for endurance sports, the athlete has previously suffered from his own crippling mental health issues which culminated in a suicide attempt on his 30th birthday.
Angus said: “After almost a year of training, fundraising and boat-building I am ecstatic that A Great British Odyssey is finally underway. Portsmouth has a beautiful natural harbour and as I live just twenty minutes down the road in Hambledon it felt like the perfect place to begin this new world record challenge. I’ll be heading into the Solent, then on towards the Portland Race off the Dorset coast which has one of the world’s most treacherous tidal currents, not to mention a history of hundreds of shipwrecks.
“Whilst this row will be very dangerous and gruelling, it’s nothing compared to the severe mental health traumas which too many men are facing today - alone. It’s devastating that suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 35 in England and Wales but sadly I know from personal experience that it’s all too easy to paint on a smile and pretend to the outside world that everything is ok.
“Lives can and must be saved, which is why I am committed to raising funds for James’ Place - a fantastic charity which helps men at the very lowest time of their lives. And whilst I’m sure I’ll face many lows during my row, I’ll be continuously spurred on by the thought of raising essential funds to support the work of this incredible organisation.”
Alex Abberton, fundraising manager at James’ Place, said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to Angus for taking on this amazing challenge for us. The men we see at James’ Place are at very high risk of ending their own life, so every pound raised by people like Angus is incredibly important. The money he raises will help us to provide free, life-saving therapy to men in suicidal crisis at our centres in London, Liverpool and Newcastle and funds will also go towards supporting the launch of our fourth centre in Birmingham which we hope to open next year."
Angus’ unique ocean rowing boat, which was co-designed by Angus and naval architects Owen Clarke and built by Cornish boat makers, Carbonish, is made from recycled carbon fibres. Weighing in without supplies at just 89kg and measuring just over 6m in length, it is set to be the world's smallest, lightest and fastest ocean rowing vessel.
With the ability to hold up to 60 days worth of supplies, the boat also incorporates room for a desalinator to purify salt water for drinking and rehydrating freeze-dried food, along with communications and technical equipment, to enable Angus to navigate, plot his route according to weather conditions and stay in contact with the mainland.
The challenge dictates that during the row he cannot accept any supplies or even touch another vessel, and must stay aboard the boat for the entire challenge, stopping only to anchor, sleep and refuel.
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Angus comes from a family with a strong nautical history - his grandfather was a world champion sailor in the Flying Dutchman world championships in 1965 and his sister, Bella Collins, has also broken world records rowing both the Atlantic and mid-Pacific Oceans.
James’ Place has three treatment centres in Liverpool, London, Newcastle with a fourth set to open in Birmingham in 2026. It costs the charity around £1800 to treat one man in need of support and over £2 million to set up and run a centre for three years.
Donations can be made at A Great British Odyssey’s Just Giving page. Supporters can track Angus’s progress on his live tracking page.