It is quite remarkable that what started off with a bit of light hearted banter last October has incredibly gained momentum to the point that it is now actually happening.

In June this year Anthony Richards, Craig Henry, Dale Henry, Adam Cramer, Daniel Frankel Pollen, Simon Frankel Pollen, Miles Kelly and Andy Okin will set off from the sunny (hopefully) shores of England and attempt to row across the Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes blind folded and only using our teeth. To put this daunting challenge into perspective, more people have climbed Everest than rowed the Channel! Ok maybe not blind folded and using our teeth but the rowing bit’s true!

What on earth makes eight guys decide out of the blue to row to France is a great question. For some of us it was the getting fit, a story to tell the children, for others it was just a personal challenge and the love of the water.  However, for all of us there was the huge incentive of raising money for Future Dreams, a charity dedicated to raising awareness and much needed funds for the treatment and prevention of secondary breast cancer.

So here we are already four months into our training, rowing between 20k – 50k a week in preparation for our big day. The plan is to set off from Dover on the weekend of June 8 / 9 and row to Calais some 22 miles (35km) away.  This is of course assuming we row straight…with certain team members’ navigational capabilities we’re more likely to end up in Holland!

We can expect to see a mixture of conditions; hopefully some sun, but we have been told to prepare for winds up to force gale three with swells up to 5ft (we’re hoping not more!) high. This is rowing at its hardest and we’re aiming for a crossing time of between 6 to 7 hours subject to sea conditions. We’d actually like to achieve closer to 5 hours but we’ll have to see how we fare. 

The Charity Future Dreams – why ?

Anthony Richards the instigator for the row felt incredibly lucky to still have his mother when his two oldest friends Adam Abrahams and Craig Henry had both lost theirs to cancer. Craig and his brother Dale also lost their beautiful sister Danielle as well.

As a team and with our close connection to the family we felt we wanted to support this amazing charity.  We are so pleased both Craig and his brother Dale were able to join the team to share the experience of this great fund raising event.

Future Dreams has been specifically funding the research of Professor Clare Isacke and her team at the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre who are looking into how and why breast cancer spreads and for ways to prevent secondary breast cancer.  Tragically the charity’s founders Sylvie and Danielle lost their own brave battles with cancer but with your help we can ensure their legacy continues. 

Thank you in advance for your support

The Future Dreams Channel Rowing Team