Transatlantic rowers Damian Browne and Karen Weekes have congratulated Daragh MacLoughlin on his success in winning the solo section of the World’s Toughest Row.
Browne, who has rowed the Atlantic in both directions among a number of extreme adventures, has also noted that all four Irish oarspeople who have completed solo crossings in the past ten years have been from Co Galway.
MacLoughlin( 42), a father of two from Clarinbridge, Co Galway, recorded the third fastest solo crossing on record when he arrived in Antigua from the Canaries last week in a time of 39 days 20 hours and 16 minutes.
“Congratulations, Daragh – a daring adventure,”Browne posted on Linked In, noting that his time would be a “number he’ll be rolling off the tongue for years to come”.
Browne recalled the times of the other three solo rowers in his post - 017 - Gavan Hennigan (49 Days 11hr 37m) ;2018 - Myself (63 days 6hr 25 mins); 2022 - Karen Weekes PhD (80 days 9hr)
Four years after his own solo row, Browne became the first person to row from New York to Galway, finishing after five capsizes en route in October 2022.
Performance psychologist and adventurer Dr Karen Weekes became the first Irish female to row solo across any ocean when she completed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic from Gran Canarias to the Caribbean in 2022.
“Incredible stuff,”she posted on MacLoughlin’s achievement, noting he is the also the third fastest Atlantic solo rower ever.
Her new book on her experience, entitled Turbulent Waters – Coping in Extremes, is available from her website karenweekes.com
Read Browne's Linked In post here
