Keen to get started on a 3,600-mile row (From Malvern Gazette)

Keen to get started on a 3,600-mile row

10:47am Friday 13th July 2007 in News By Robert Hale

A WEB developer with a Malvern company is about to take on the challenge of a lifetime - a 3,600-mile trip through shark-infested waters in a rowing boat.

Steve Redgewell, aged 24, who works for Malvern Instruments, of Spring Lane, has signed up for the first rowing race across the Indian Ocean along with friend David Lynes, 28, from Red-ditch.

Steve and David, known as Team DevOcean, hope to win the race and give the £300,000 prize to National Children's Homes and a charity which helps children in Romania.

The race starts on Australia's west coast in April and finishes in Mauritius. They will have to battle through shark-infested waters in temperatures of around 30 degrees, rowing for up to 80 days.

"I've always wanted to do something big and since James Cracknell and Ben Fogle have already done the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean seemed a good idea," said Steve, of Evesham.

"It'll be a real challenge, and it'll take us between 50 and 80 days, but we can enjoy a nice long holiday in Mauritius when it's over."

The seven-tonne self-righting boat they will use has not yet been built but a prototype will be on show at Evesham River Festival tomorrow (Saturday). Their launch party is at Brindleyplace, Birmingham, on Tuesday.

For more information, visit www.teamdevocean.co.uk.