Phil's 2,000 mile lockdown challenge

A intrepid hospice supporter, bored of decorating and gardening in lockdown, will spend 10 days covering 2000 miles on his rowing machine, as he gets set for an even bigger adventure.

Phil Kite is aiming to become part of the first team to row the Northwest Passage, the Arctic route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceansin July 2021. In preparation,  he has decided to replicate at-sea conditions in his garage at home, rowing on a machine for two hours and sleeping for two hours continually for ten days straight.

Together with other members of NWP crew, who between them will row the remaining 12 hours each day, Phil will be looking to row 2,000 miles (3,200km) in 10 days – the distance they expect to row for real next year. Several charities will benefit from funds raised through the challenge, including St Oswald’s Hospice.

Talking about the challenge Phil said: 

“At the end of last year, after I had rowed the Atlantic with Team Tyne Innovation, I signed up to Leven’s Browns expedition to row the Arctic’s Northwest Passage in 2021. We were planning on being the first expedition to successfully row the 2,000 mile route in a single season.

We had been looking for sponsors and supporters to help us follow in the foots steps of that small band of adventurers and explorers who have completed world firsts but in the last few months the world has been turned on its head by of COVID 19. Many charities are now struggling to raise the funding that keeps them going as mass participation sponsored sporting events like the London Marathon are cancelled.  So as a team we would like to do our bit to help them. 
 
Whilst most of the team are still working, some as medic’s, I am one of those on lockdown and so came up with the idea of the 2,000-mile#RowinaGarage challenge in aid of those charities that support the National Health Service in the community, such as St Oswald’s Hospice. I will be on my rowing machine in the garage aiming to complete one shift of 12 hours each day, split into 6 x 2 hours sessions and 6 x 2 hour breaks. I expect to eat-sleep-row-repeat in the garage for at least 10 days and you can watch the event and my misery on a live video feed. My crew mates, located around the world, will together row the other 12 hours each day, fitting it in between their hours at work. We expect to complete 200 miles per day and row the 2,000-mile route in 10 days.”

We wish Phil and his amazing team all the best for their challenge, which is already underway. You can follow Phil’s progress live from his garage, 24 hours a day via the video below and and you can make a donation to his fundraising page at here: