ROW, REST, AND REPEAT

James Allan on his experience rowing across the Atlantic in 42 days.

- Ardian Wibisono

For many, the year 2020 has been extraordinarily tough as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a halt. And very few people in the world took an extreme challenge in the already challenging year. That few includes James Allan (50), country head of JLL Indonesia and Forbes Indonesia's columnist, who along with his three friends participated in the epic Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – a 3,000-mile rowing race crossing the Atlantic. Started the race in early December, James and his team completed the race in 42 days, 3 hours, and 47 minutes, crossing from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, to Nelson's Dockyard English Harbour, Antigua. At the same time, they also raised over $100,000 for charities, including to local charity The Priscilla Hall Foundation.

I turned 50 in May, so this is sort of a half-century milestone and a great opportunity to raise money for some of my favorite charities, James tells Forbes Indonesia over a Zoom call. Everyone would look at 2020 as a long year. Getting through the year was pretty much what we wanted to do. I look back at 2020, and it's a special year for me. Yes, we did OK at work, but as importantly, I achieved a lifetime ambition of rowing the Atlantic.

RACE FACTS

1. Each team will row in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes over a race.

2. Rowers will row for 2 hours, and sleep for 2 hours, constantly, 24 hours a day.

3. More people have climbed Everest than rowed an ocean.

4. Over €6million has been raised for charities worldwide over the past 4 races.

5. At its deepest, the Atlantic Ocean is 8.5km deep.