Hereford paramedic set to row the Atlantic

8:00am Wednesday 19th November 2008

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HEREFORD paramedic Tom Davies hopes his skills will not be called on when he rows the Atlantic next year.

He has been chosen as part of a 14- man crew to try and beat the record from New York in the USA to Falmouth which was set in 1896 and stands at 55 days.

Tom, based at Hereford’s Grafton ambulance station, will be expected to do his two hours on, two hours off, stint in rowing but when things go wrong he will be there to provide medical support to the crew.

The paramedic is trained to deal with emergencies but hopes his skills will be needed for nothing more serious than blisters and strains.

His big adventure starts next June and he has been given a sabbatical from West Midlands Ambulance Service to take part.

But it is not only his job he will be leaving behind – waiting anxiously will be his wife Marina and three children, son Fynley, now aged four, and daughters Matilda, three, and Orly, seven months.

Tom’s first experience of rowing was on the Severn while a pupil at the King’s School in Worcester. Now his practice for the big event is confined to rowing machines, indoors.

To qualify for a place on the boat, La Mondiale, he had to undergo a gruelling training regime in Scotland, which involved a 14km run through the night, a 2,000m row on a machine, three hours sleep, circuit training, a 27km run followed by another 2,000m row.

Tom passed all the tests. Now, in addition to training, he has to try and raise £20,000 to cover to cover his costs of the event. The money is coming in, but anyone who would like to help can email bare_toes@mac.com or call 01981 541059.