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Maclean Brothers Set Fastest Unsupported Row Across Pacific, Landing in Cairns After 139 Days

The feat anchored a charity campaign that now seeks to close a £1 million target for clean water in Madagascar.

Overview

  • They completed the nonstop Lima-to-Cairns route in 139 days, 5 hours and 52 minutes, covering roughly 9,000 miles and becoming the first recorded team to row from South America to Australia.
  • The trio battled violent storms, seasickness, equipment failures and dwindling food supplies, including a night-time man‑overboard incident in which a brother was rescued back onto the boat.
  • Donations have reached roughly £800,000 toward their £1 million goal to fund projects intended to bring safe water to about 40,000 people in Madagascar through the Maclean Foundation.
  • They rowed in rotating shifts without resupply aboard Rose Emily, a custom carbon‑fibre boat developed with ocean‑rowing designer Mark Slats and packed with more than 500kg of provisions.
  • Their arrival at Cairns Marlin Marina drew a bagpipe welcome and more than 50 supporters, as they surpassed the previous fastest full‑Pacific mark set by solo rower Fedor Konyukhov in 2014.