Three Scottish brothers have set a new world record for the fastest human-powered Pacific Ocean crossing, arriving in Cairns, Australia, after 139 days, five hours, and 52 minutes at sea. Jamie, Ewan, and Lachlan Maclean, from Edinburgh, became the first team to row from South America to Australia, surpassing the previous record of 159 days set by Russian Fedor Konyukhov in 2014.
The brothers completed their 9,000-mile journey on Saturday at 11.52 am local time, where they were reunited with more than 50 family and friends, including their mother Sheila. Middle brother Jamie, 31, described the experience as the most “incredible, relentless and often surreal experience” of his life, admitting they feared running out of food towards the end.
The trio rowed in two-hour shifts on their custom-built carbon fibre vessel, Rose Emily, with no resupplies or safety boat. Their expedition, the Rare Whisky 101 Pacific Row, aims to raise £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar through The Maclean Foundation, a charity they founded with their father, whisky writer Charles Maclean MBE. So far, they have raised over £790,000.
Ewan, 33, called the journey the “hardest” thing he had ever done, noting the emotional highs and lows they experienced. The brothers previously became the fastest and youngest trio to row the Atlantic Ocean in 2020, raising over £200,000 for charity. Their latest feat has drawn support from celebrities including actor Mark Wahlberg and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.
