Three courageous UAE residents are set to embark on The Arctic Challenge, a historic rowing expedition across the Arctic Ocean. Toby Gregory, Orlagh Dempsey, and Andy Savill will undertake a 1,500km rowing journey from Tromso in Norway to Svalbard, one of Earth’s harshest and most vulnerable ecosystems. This expedition aims to highlight critical issues of ocean conservation and plastic pollution.
The trio aims to become the first unassisted and unsupported team to complete this challenging route, which will involve 20-25 days of uninterrupted rowing through various conditions. Their boat, Ocean Guardian, will proudly fly the nation’s flag throughout the journey. They also aim to set five Guinness World Records, underscoring their extraordinary achievement in pushing the boundaries of ocean exploration:
- Northernmost latitude on land reached by a rowing vessel on the Arctic Ocean Open Waters
- First trio to row the Arctic Ocean Open Waters from south to north
- Northernmost latitude from which a rowing vessel started a north-to-south row on the Arctic Ocean Open Waters
- Youngest average age for a team to row the Arctic Ocean Open Waters south to north
- First three-person team in history to row the Arctic Ocean
Additionally, with Orlagh Dempsey being part of the trio, the team has potential to set records such as:
- the first female in history to row the Arctic Ocean
- the first mixed team to row the Arctic Ocean
In preparation for the challenge, the team has engaged with over 60 schools and 200,000 students, aiming to reach one million students globally by the end of November, coinciding with National Day celebrations on December 2nd.
Throughout their journey, the team will conduct environmental experiments in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme’s ‘Clean Seas’ initiative. This focus on sustainable practices and environmental care supports the UAE’s commitment to responsible development.
