15 Crews from Nine Countries Row 2100 nautical miles in the Great Pacific Race.

MONTEREY, Calif., May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The city of Monterey has been selected as the launch site for the inaugural Great Pacific Race, the first human-powered rowing race from California to Hawaii, set for a historic launch on June 7^th, 2014.

The official start of this first biannual 2100 nautical mile race will be just outside Monterey Marina opposite the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Selection of Monterey as the start point for the race was based on weather patterns, facilities available, and support for the race demonstrated by the community including the Monterey City Council and local yacht clubs.

“The City of Monterey is extremely honored & proud that the Great Pacific Race has chosen our bay as its starting point for this great event,” said Monterey City Council member Frank Sollecito. Race Director Chris Martin will announce the decision at the Stillwater Yacht Club in Pebble Beach on Monday, May 20^th, 2013, following a presentation about his own ocean rowing exploits, including his 2009 world record as part of the first team to row from Japan to San Francisco.

“Monterey is the perfect spot for this historic biannual event,” said Martin. “The cooperation and warmth of the city demonstrated by City Mayor Chuck Della Sala and from members of the local community including the Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club mean we will come back again every two years to make Monterey the launch venue of choice. With its relationship to the Pacific Ocean, there really is no place like Monterey.”

15 crews made up of 38 courageous individuals from nine different countries have confirmed their entry into the race so far. The fleet of ocean rowing boats currently consists of four solo rowers, five two-person boats and six four-person boats. However, registration remains open until early September.

Crews will not use engines or sails, relying instead on their own bodies to propel their boats across a section of the world’s largest ocean, ending in Honolulu, Hawaii. Due to advances in on-board technology, boat design and materials, race organizers expect that most crews will break the route’s current world record of 64 days, set in 1997. They believe that the fastest two-person crew could complete the race in as little as 40 days and a four-person crew could complete it in around a month.

Crews and their support teams will arrive in Monterey in May 2014 to make final preparations to their boats. Race Director Chris Martin is committed to the safety and security of the crews. Support boats (some of which will be local boats from Monterey) will follow the crews into the ocean, sending back footage taken of and from the racing boats as well as providing assistance if required.

Highlights of the race include:

• Crews will be tracked through a satellite beacon which uploads their position to a website every two hours. A videoblog of the journey will be made available on sponsor websites.
• Crews can expect to face winds in excess of 30 knots and waves higher than 40 feet.
• Crewmembers generally row for two hours before switching with their teammate. One-man crews will row for up to 16 hours throughout the day, having a longer rest at night.
• Life on board is stark with few comforts. The bedroom is the size of a six-foot-high cupboard and the bathroom is a bucket. There are only two “rooms” on board and there is no TV, fridge or shower.
• Drinking water is provided via a small desalination device powered by solar panels that also power on-board electrical equipment.
• Food supplies are restricted to freeze dried army-style rations requiring rehydration with boiling water from the boat’s cooker.
• Crew backgrounds are varied. Some are Olympians and some are novices.

Prospective crews, sponsors or interested parties may visit the website for more information at http://www.newoceanwave.com/ or contact:

Chris Martin , Race Director
chris@newoceanwave.com
(USA)  831.920.4636
(UK) +44 (0) 7967. 826. 833

Sponsors and media:
Jessica Switzer
Jessica@bluepractice.com
(USA)  415.381.1100

Very shortly we will be making an announcement of where the Pacific Rowing Race will start. It’s amazing to think that in just over a year’s time, boats and crews from around the world will be arrive at the start of the race and make the final tweaks to their boats ahead of the start on June 7th 2014.

The Pacific Rowing Race 2014 will be the first ocean rowing event held on the Pacific Ocean, crews participating will set many new World Records doing what has never been done before, including the first four to row the Pacific, the first all-female pair to row the Pacific as well as many national records for being the first many crews from Canada, Slovakia, France, Australia and New Zealand.

The entries aren’t yet closed but time is running out for those who want to participate in the 2014 race. But if you do want to take part but 2014 isn’t right for you then don’t panic. We’ll be organising the every two years, so you’ll get another chance in 2016.

We’ve been really busy over the last month, with many more crews entering the Pacific Rowing Race 2014.  With just over a year until the start we are happy to announce that we have more than 35 courageous individuals in 14 crews who  have confirmed their entry into the race.  The fleet of ocean rowing boats currently consists of three solo rowers who will take on the challenge of rowing the Pacific on their own, 5 two man boats and 6 four man boats. The crews from these boats come from countries all around the world including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Slovakia, UK and USA making this a truely international event.

Although there are a many opportunities for those racing to achieve World Record’s, those entering the race in a four man crew are all battling for the honour to be the first ever four man boat to row the Pacific. A real world first!

The Pacific Rowing Race will start on June 7th 2014 so crews have just 13 months left to prepare for the race of a lifetime.

You can see more details about all the crews as well as following their own progress to the start line via their social media accounts and websites. All of these are listed on the Entrant page.

And it still isn’t too late to join them. If you would like to take part in the Pacific Rowing Race then there is still time to find or form a crew and get your entry in. Don’t leave it too late though or you’ll have to wait until June 2016 for the start of the next Pacific Rowing Race!

We also have some exciting news about the start venue for the race but have to keep quiet about that until everything is confirmed.

Recently we visited the west coast (USA) to see some of our race entrants and present to a number of rowing and sailing clubs more details about ocean rowing as a sport and the Pacific Rowing Race 2014.  We were fortunate enough to present the Pacific Rowing Race to the mayor and council in Monterey and start to plan and organise logistics.  It was magical to be there as our race entrants got their first glimpse of an ocean rowing boat in real life instead of on a computer screen.  It may be more than a year to the start of the race but being on the start line was very exciting. We can’t wait to welcome all crews to the beautiful waters of Monterey Bay and the start line of the Pacific Rowing Race.  Here is the video about the trip.

Recently we have been contacted by so many people who want to become take part in the Pacific Rowing Race but have not been able to find a crew to row with.  If this sounds like you then this is a must attend event. At the Meet My Crew event on 30th March in London you will hear more about the Pacific Rowing Race and what makes New Ocean Wave different, you’ll also meet others who are searching for an ocean rowing crew.  We don’t want to force people together to form ocean rowing crews, but this event will give everyone attending a rare opportunity to meet and get to know others who they could form a crew with.  Spaces are limited to the first 40 people who register and we are expecting a lot of interest in this unique opportunity so don’t delay.  Register for this unique ocean rowing opportunity now.

Cost: FREE
Date: March 30th
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Venue: The function room (upstairs) at The George Pub, 213 The Strand, London, WC2R 1AP (opposite the Royal Courts of Justice)

How to register: To register for this limited ticket event send an email to meetmycrew@newoceanwave.com and include the following information:

1. Your name
2. Whether or not you would be willing to row in a mixed crew.
3. One random fact about yourself that you don’t mind sharing.

You can also keep up to date with the event on this facebook page. We really look forwards to meeting you all and connecting everyone together to form some great crews for the Pacific Rowing Race.

We’re giving every crew entered in the Pacific Rowing Race the great chance to win a Raymarine Ray101e Handheld VHF radio.

To win a VHF radio for your crew all you have to do is like the New Ocean Wave facebook page and wait.  On the 15th March we will select at random one of the people who have liked our page and they will get to choose which of the race crews will receive the radio.

This handheld VHF radio is one of the many items of safety equipment required for crews taking part in the Pacific Rowing Race.  The Ray101 combines performance and convenience in a fully submersible handheld VHF.  With 5 watts of transmit power and plenty of battery capacity you’ll definitely be heard loud and clear.  Nickel Metal Hydride (NiHM) or alkaline battery support ensures the Ray101 is ready to use when you need it most.  An oversized backlit LCD and rotary controls for volume and squelch make operating the Ray101 easy.  No accessories are required!  The Ray101 comes fully equipped with NiMH batteries, a drop in rapid charger,mobile phone style belt clip, and 12-volt cigarette light adapter cable.

So get your friends liking us now and help your crew win a essential piece of equipment. Terms and conditions apply

The first thing you’ll need to take part in the Pacific Rowing Race is a boat.
There are a number of options:

• Buy a new boat from as established builder
• Buy a used boat from someone who has finsihed their ocean row
• Charter a used boat
• Have your own boat built by another boat builder

 On our revamped boat page you can see further details of all of these options including our boatmart page with information on all of the used ocean row boats we are aware of.  We are also waiting on a few boat owners to get back to us with further details of even more ocean row boats some of which will be available to charter!

Having a boat to train in is a critical moment in preparations for the Pacific Rowing Race.  Those crews who spend longer in their boat preparing are more likely to succeed and cross in a quicker time.  Having a boat will also make sponsorship easier to find as sponsors can see where their money is going.  Essentially a boat brings the project of rowing an ocean to life and ticks one of the largest items off any crew’s to do list.

A little further down the boat page we have also included downloadable plans of the Phil Morrison pairs / fours design of ocean rowing boat that is known for its safety and speed.  Obvioulsy you’ll need to contact a skilled boat builder as the plans don’t include many details needed to construct a boat from scratch. The picture below shows the detail included in the plans.