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The
Commando Joe Ocean Fours Atlantic Rowing team passed a significant
milestone in January 2005 when they took delivery of the 29ft boat
that they will use to row across the North Atlantic in June 2006,
raising money to further the work of the Meningitis Trust.
Thanks
to generous support from all those who have committed to sponsor
the team so far, Commando Joe becomes the first team from the 2006
field of entries to be in possession of their craft at this early
stage. There are still 17 months to go before the start of the race;
the team's intention to win and to break the current Atlantic rowing
record will receive a substantial boost by taking delivery so early.
Delighted
Cirencester-based
Charlie Martell, one of the teamÂ’s founders, said he was delighted
to see the boat 'in the flesh' at last. He said:
Raising money for the Meningitis Trust in memory of a team memberÂ’s
son was always going to be an emotional affair, but seeing the physical
evidence of the last twelve months' effort was really something,
despite it being in an unfinished condition - it's still to be painted
and we've a lot of equipment yet to fit before the formal launch
next month.
Effectively,
it marks the start of the really hard work - training the team members
into peak condition and getting to know how the boat performs in
the water, in as many different conditions as we can find - the
Atlantic's going to throw all sorts at us after we leave the safety
of New York Harbour!
We're
determined to win, but there's a lot of work still to do. From now
on, we move up a gear. 
Sponsorship
The
team is still seeking further commercial sponsorship to cover the
cost of equipment needed for this and their other two 'extreme'
challenges - a 320-mile footrace to the North Pole in April 2005
and, in 2007, a 151-mile ‘supermarathon’ across the Sahara
Desert.
See
also: Commando
Joe - what's it all about?
See also: An
interview with Charlie Martell
See also: An
interview with Adrian Bell
If
you would like to comment on this story get in touch at gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk
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Preparations
for the 2006 Atlantic Rowing Challenge have been boosted with the
Commando Joe team taking delivery of a specially designed 29ft rowing
boat...
