Displaying items by tag: Iditarod

22nd March 2024

Another Record Achievement for Galway Ocean Rower Gavan Hennigan — This Time on Foot in Alaska

Gavan Hennigan, a 42-year-old native of Galway who completed a solo row of the Atlantic in 2017, has become the first Irish person to not only complete but win a 1,000-mile foot race in Alaska.

This was achieved while experiencing gruelling weather conditions and extremely challenging terrain over 24 days.

Only approximately 50 athletes have completed the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational within the 30 day cut-off period over the 18 years the event has been run.

Gavan is no stranger to the accomplishment of extreme challenges, however, as he previously won the 350-Mile Iditarod Trail foot race and completed a 5,000km solo row of the Atlantic in the Takisker Whisky Challenge in early 2017.

He crossed the finish line amid heavy snowfall in Nome, Alaska in first place with a time of 24 days, 18 hours and nine minutes, completing what race organisers have called a “monumental achievement”.

Published in Coastal Rowing

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About World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day is celebrated annually on June 8th to highlight the important role the ocean has for our life and the planet. The focus each year is on the 30x30 campaign: to create a healthy ocean with abundant wildlife and to stabilise the climate, it is critical that 30% of our planet’s lands, waters, and oceans are protected by 2030.

One of the issues affecting our ocean is marine litter which has become a global problem for both humans and marine life. However, communities around Ireland have demonstrated their desire to be part of the solution by taking part in several beach cleaning and clean-up calls to action.

Statistics show that the number one cause of marine litter is litter dropped in towns and cities.

In 2021, the initiative changed its name from “World Oceans Day” to “World Ocean Day”. By dropping the “s”, its organisers wanted to highlight the fact that we are all connected by a large ocean. This shared ocean supports all life on the planet, by producing most of the oxygen we breathe and regulating climate. No matter where we live, we all depend on the ocean to survive.

This means that each piece of marine litter removed from a beach, river, lake, park or street in Ireland, will have a positive impact on a global scale.