TWAC: Team BROAR aus Schottland

Es gibt noch ein zweites Team bei der diesjährigen Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC), das ich Euch gerne vorstellen möchte: BROAR. Die drei sind die ersten Brüder, die dieses Renner gemeinsam schaffen wollen. Ihr Nachname: MacLean.

Wie es der Zufall so will, sind das die drei Söhne von Charles MacLean. Ich habe einen riesigen Respekt für alle, die sich auf dieses Rennen einlassen, denn nicht nur das Rennen selbst, sondern die gesamte Vorbereitung ist sehr anstrengend und teuer.

Bei dem Ruderrennen dürfen nur Teams teilnehmen, die für einen guten Zweck rudern. Hier lernt Ihr die drei jungen Männer ein wenig kennen und könnt etwas über ihre Motivation erfahren.

Das Rennen geht 5.500 Kilometer (3.000 Meilen) quer über den Atlantik. Nach dem Start im Dezember von der Kanareninsel La Gomera soll in etwa 30 bis 60 Tagen die Karibikinsel Antigua erreicht werden.

Es wird übrigens eine ganz spezielle Abfüllung geben, die für den guten Zweck versteigert wird. Mehr erfahrt ihr in dem Q&A Teil.

Mehr Infos zu den TWAC Teams: TEAMS 2019 // Homepage BROAR

Q&A

Ich habe den dreien ein paar Fragen gestellt. Hier ihre Antworten.

What drives you taking this huge challenge?

„We all share a passion for adventure and the desire to push our boundaries – this was what attracted us all to this challenge initially. To share something so out of the ordinary as three brothers excites us all massively – December couldn’t come soon enough in all honesty. Very early on in the process, however, we became aware of this race’s potential to raise a huge amount of awareness and funds for charity. The fact that we might be able to make a real difference to two fantastic causes, Children 1st and Feedback Madagascar, drives us to put in the hours day to day.„

How do you prepare for the challenge?

„When people think about what preparation needs to take place in order to row an ocean they usually only think of the physical – little do they know that participating in this race involves a huge amount of ‘behind the scenes’ preparation, including building a brand, fundraising, event organising and putting together a website amongst many other things. 9/10 teams that sign up don’t actually make it to the start line because they get this side of the prep wrong.

The physical preparation is also extensive, with a 5 day/week gym programme, several days of rowing in our ocean rowing boat per week and a strict nutritional programme. The mental preparation is also something you need to think about, which includes sleep deprived rowing sessions in the middle of the night. Finally, we will be getting five mandatory qualifications before we can set off from La Gomera, including a specific ocean rowing course preparing us for what we’re likely to face at sea. 

Aside from all of this, our main training will be in our practice rows in Scotland over the next four months. These include a week long row up the West Coast of Scotland from Arran distillery to Talisker. During this row we will be stopping at 17 of the West Coast distilleries ‘pillaging’ a couple of cases from each. This whisky will then be bottled and blended by our father, Charles Maclean, and auctioned for our charities.„

Why did you choose the charity organizations you choose?

„I (Lachlan), the youngest brother, encountered Feedback Madagascar when traveling there last summer when staying in one of the youth centres the charity built out there. When deciding on our two charities, I introduced the other two to the founder and director, Jamie Spencer, who both quickly fell in love with the cause and charity. If we reach our fundraising goal, for each mile we row across the Atlantic one person will be receiving clean water for life in one of the world’s poorest countries – I don’t think you could think of better motivation to get us through the darker days of the crossing if you tried.

Children 1st is Scotland’s national children’s charity. All having had very happy upbringings and being very fortunate to be able to participate in this race, we wanted to support a charity that helps those who are less fortunate in the most important years of life. This is another awesome cause that helps children and families that experience trauma and neglect.„

What do your parents think about that challenge?

„Mum and Dad are both supportive of the row and proud to see us all working on something together so diligently. Naturally, they’re both a little bit quietly anxious about the whole thing – their three eggs in one basket if you like – but we have involved them both as much as we can with the organisation of the project and will make sure we are as prepared as we can be by December to minimise any chance of something going wrong. Both are helping with the fundraising side of things, Dad giving tastings and Mum producing watercolours to sell.„