Three Scottish brothers have set a new world record for rowing nonstop across the Pacific Ocean, arriving in Australia after 140 days at sea. Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean completed the 14,000km journey from Peru to Cairns on Saturday, becoming the first team to finish the full crossing.
The trio finished in 139 days, five hours and 52 minutes, beating the previous record of 160 days set by Russian solo rower Fyodor Konyukhov in 2014. Their arrival was marked by bagpipes and a fresh margherita pizza, as more than 50 friends and family, including their mother Sheila, greeted them at Cairns Marlin Marina.
The journey was not without peril. Violent storms, including one that swept a brother overboard, forced detours and delayed their planned Friday arrival. In a video posted ahead of landing, Ewan joked: “Do you have pizza and beer?” He described the challenge as the hardest thing he has ever done, adding: “We’ve shed tears of joy and laughed till our cheeks hurt.”
The brothers have raised more than $1.64m (£796,998) for their charity, the Maclean Foundation, which funds projects providing clean water to 40,000 people in Madagascar. They also secured sponsorship from whisky distilleries including Rare Whisky 101 and Talisker, and count actors Ewan McGregor, Mark Wahlberg and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea among their supporters.
Middle brother Jamie said supplies had run low towards the end, forcing them to “step up a gear”. He added: “Ocean rowing has given us a newfound appreciation for things we used to take for granted – like going for a shower, lying in bed, or simply leaning on something stationary.”
