American sets new record with solo row across North Atlantic that began in St. John's
American rower left St. John's on June 27 and arrived in England Aug. 4
Nearly 39 days after pushing off the shore in St. John's, adventurer Bryce Carlson has set a new world record for the quickest solo row across the North Atlantic.
On Saturday, the American arrived on the Isles of Scilly, U.K., after 38 days, six hours and 49 minutes — shattering the previous record of 53 days, eight hours and 26 minutes.
"The person you're going to have to spend the most time with over the course of your life is yourself, so you better make yourself as interesting as possible," Carlson told reporters once he was out of his boat and on dry land.
As his boat pulled up to the English shore just after 7 p.m. local time hundreds of his family, friends and fans clapped and cheered, yelling, "Hip, hip, hooray!"
'The only 5 minutes that mattered'
Carlson, 37, rowed more than 3,218 kilometres in a six-metre boat by himself, as fans followed his journey online.
"Up until 15 minutes ago, the only five minutes that mattered were the five minutes in front of me," he said.
His goal was to set a new world record for the fastest unsupported solo row across the North Atlantic.
On Sunday morning, it was official: the Ocean Rowing Society, the official adjudicator of ocean rowing records for the Guinness World Records, posted the news to its website, congratulating Carlson on his feat.
Carlson's team called the Ocean Rowing Society shortly after he arrived in order to record his official time.
"My primary goal is to have an adventure, share that adventure with the world and come home safely," Carlson told CBC News part way through his journey in July.
The high school science teacher from Cincinnati is said to be the first American to complete the crossing solo and unsupported.
CBC News requested an interview with Carlson on Saturday afternoon.