Already feeling that stress factor? What should I buy for Christmas? Don't let it cause a row its supposed to be the season of good will!!!!

Don't exhaust yourself rowing, relax and read about rowing!!!!!!

Why not buy a unique Christmas Gift this year?

Save the bother of writing to Santa and even then running the risk of not getting anything if you have been a naughty boy or girl!!!!!

Just order a copy of Richard's book "Naked Ambition" direct and exclusively through this website from anywhere in the world!

The Author is more than happy to sign and dedicate copies of this limited edition prior to despatch.

For full details, click to order from the home page link.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM THE WORLD ROW CHALLENGE!

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As Richard, Charles, Margaret, Alicia & Joe continue their never ending quest to raise awareness and funds for their World First Expedition, Simon Patterson is busy with the boat design.

The new boat will be specifically and uniquely designed for the extreme conditions she will have to endure for the total life of the expedition which could last in excess of 12 months as the crew battle the extreme conditions of the planet's oceans.

The majority of contemporary ocean rowing boats have been designed for specific events and generally these have been built for speed, to get from one point to another in the fastest possible time with crew accomodation (or lack of it) taking a back seat to this demand. In fact many of the ocean four boats now in service have been built as hybrids of previous two person designs offering little respite to the crew in heavy weather conditions.

The World Row Challenge boat will be designed and built for purpose with crew safety and 'comfort' a high priority as well as sea worthiness and speed. The design process will be completed soon and we will then the really exciting build process will begin once approved by Row Extreme.

Of course there is the little matter of finance to get this underway! We have been able to keep the project on track to date but we NOW need that Title Sponsor so we can continue with the build without a break to enable us to go to sea in about a yera's time.

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Row Extreme’s World Row Challenge Crew Selected @ YMCA Lakeside

The YMCA National Centre, Lakeside (http://www.ymcalakeside.co.uk), Europe’s largest outdoor training centre, recently hosted Row Extreme’s World Row Challenge Selection Weekend.

A crew of six people will row the World Row Challenge: five carefully selected individuals plus Richard Wood. Six hand picked individuals from a field of 46 from around the world attended the selection weekend at YMCA Lakeside on 28 – 30 July 2006.

The YMCA National Centre, Lakeside has over 25 years experience in developing and inspiring teams from all walks of life. The selection process involved a healthy mixture of physical, mental and emotional challenges designed to test each candidate’s ability to perform and keep on performing under pressure. The training and selection team supporting Richard, was lead by Ian Woods, Director of Professional development and former Olympic athlete, coach and member of the Olympic selection panel for Salt Lake City and Turin.

On the last day of the selection weekend, five individuals were selected and offered places to become proud members of the World Row Challenge rowing team. Each individual is now experiencing a four-week ‘cooling off’ period to make their final decision before signing their Expedition Agreement and becoming a fully committed member of the Team. Richard Wood said “no one has ever attempted to live on the edge of endurance for such a sustained period, success will place this expedition in the ranks of outstanding human achievement”.

Potential rowers and rowing legs are as follows:

The International Rowing Team comprises of 4 male and two female rowers, two of whom are Australians, one Canadian and the rest from the UK. Richard and two members of his crew, Jake Frith from the UK and Charles Robey from Australia will remain on board for all three-ocean legs. Margaret Bowling from Australia will row leg one across the Pacific, Canadian, Alicia Hamel will take over from Margaret on Atlantic leg two and Joe Leiserach UK will row the final leg powering the expedition back to Oz.

Once all the crew have officially signed up, crew profiles and more on the weekend will be posted on the site.

The search for a Title Sponsor continues in earnest.

Row Extreme is proud to announce it will be working in Parnership with the YMCA Team in future to achieve success for The World Row Challenge.


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The long awaited book launch took place on Saturday at the Guildhall in Worcester. It was a great occasion and marked a very big milestone in my career as an Ocean Rower. The book has taken since 1998 to complete although the writing was a slightly shorter period! It has been a facinating process, I didn't realise just how much work went into producing a really good quality product like this.

Unlike those who get large advances and a host of people to do the whole thing for them including the writing, Naked Ambition was written entirely by me and is a very personal account of what you need to succeed at this kind of thing.

Feed back so far has been very positive and I have even been told it is a must read for anyone contemplating an ocean row. That aside I wrote it to be something that would appeal not only to those who wish to subject themselves to the challenge of the oceans but also for those who would rather sit at home and let someone else do the hard work so they can enjoy the read!

So it is now available to YOU and can be ordered via the website. It is in hardback only and full of exclusive photos of every stage of both trans-Atantic attempts. It would make a fantastic gift as well so click on and make your order TODAY!!!.......and tell your friends as well so the family don't starve!!!!!

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On May 1st 2004 I finally made it to Barbados! It marked the end of a 7 year challenge to row one of the oceans of the world.
I mark this occasion with the publishing of the book I wrote about the whole experience. It is an epic tale of just what rowing an ocean can involve and the determination you need to achieve success.

I found the article below written in the 'we say' section of the Worcester Evening News which in my humble opinion sums it up quite nicely!

"Worcester Evening News Tuesday 4th May 2004

Explorer in the finest tradition

When Richard Wood announced that he was embarking on his second attempt to row across the Atlantic, some may have called him foolhardy.

Having been forced to abandon his first attempt when, after initially losing his rowing partner Rob Ringer, and then-after vowing to push on alone- being forced to end his journey through injury, he might have been forgiven for thinking the omens were not good for a successful crossing.

Richard however was not put off.

Following in the tradition of such great adventurers as Francis Chichester, David Hempleman-Adams and even, Scott of the Antarctic, Richard Wood ploughed on.

Up until last Friday, he had spent three-and-a-half months at sea, rowing 3450 miles from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to the finishing line at 59 degrees 37 minutes West-the longitude of Barbados’s North Point.

The mammoth trip had been far from smooth.

Disaster struck in mid-March when he his rudder was torn from the boat in stormy seas.

Strong winds also blew him miles off course when he was 500 miles from the end.

How many of us can honestly say that we would not have given up at that point?

Richard Wood was made of sterner stuff

Now his personal achievement will be capped by a donation to Worcester’s St Richard’s Hospice of £20000, the thought of which must have kept him rowing during the darkest hours of this epic voyage.

Our heartiest congratulations go to Richard and his support Team."

If you would like to read the whole story click on this link to find out how to order a copy. It is illustrated with many of the photographs I took throughout the whole project and is available in hard back only as a fitting tribute to and lasting memorial to an achievement I am hugely proud of! It will be a great privilege for me to share it with you.


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