Broker smashes Atlantic rowing record

17 January 2008

Stockbroker Leven Brown has rowed the Atlantic with a fourteen man team and beaten the longstanding world record for crossing the ocean, his principal sponsor Brewin Dolphin announced today. Scotsman Leven, 31, landed in Port St Charles, Barbados on Thursday 17 th January at 2035 GMT, shattering the record for the 3000 mile journey by two days. The previous 35-day record was set in 1992 by a French crew.

“I am so delighted that they are all home safe and sound ” said Jamie Matheson, Executive Chairman of Brewin Dolphin, Leven’s ex-employers and the main sponsors of the boat “and it is absolutely fabulous that they have smashed this record by such a margin.”

The team were racing an American crew to the record. The British team set off from Grand Canaria on 15 th December 2007 and have taken precisely 33 days 7 hours and 30 minutes to reach Barbados – the new world record. Sponsorship raised by the crew will go to a variety of charities including Cancer Research; Save the Albatross and the Cuttysark.

Leven first crossed the Atlantic Ocean solo in 2006, rowing from Cadiz to Trinidad & Tobago in a 23 ft boat. A descendent of the explorer Christopher Columbus, Leven can’t resist the lure of the ocean and now hopes to row the Pacific.

The record breaking strategy included shifting 2 men out every 40 minutes (12 men rowing at all times) so the boat never lost momentum or course. This also meant that rest was increased for each man as the galley was only catering for two at any one moment and so time was not wasted cooking large meals for six hungry rowers. The dangers to rowing boats are the same the world over: Land; Weather, Creatures and Traffic. The boat carried a fortress anchor in case of lee shore conditions. Weather ahead was reported via the satellite link. Traffic is always a hazard but the boat was equipped with the latest ‘Sea-me’ transponders, AIS radar, and, of course, a dozen pairs of eyes to spot any potential conflicts of interest en route. Happily there were no life threatening encounters with whales or sharks.

For more details of the voyage log on to www.oceanrowevents.com or call Leven
Brown – now on dry land on +44 7802 525 727

For more details contact Charlotte Black or Damian Kerr at Brewin Dolphin,
charlotte.black@brewin.co.uk
0845 213 3331

Notes to editors

Brewin Dolphin Limited (“BD”) is the principal operating company of Brewin Dolphin Holdings PLC which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. BD is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. BD is the largest independent private client investment manager in the UK.

The Group manages £21.6 billion of funds for over 120,000 clients, and of this £10.7 billion is on a discretionary basis. BD has 39 offices and is corporate adviser to 131 corporate and 100 institutional clients. Brewin Dolphin Investment Banking was voted AIM Broker of the Year 2007 ¹.

The Group provides complete investment management for private investors, charities and pension funds and trades as:

Brewin Dolphin in England, Wales and the Channel Islands
Bell Lawrie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Stocktrade is the BD Execution-Only division. www.stocktrade.co.uk
Please see Media Centre section on www.brewin.co.uk for details and photos of all commentators and analysts throughout the BD Group.

Since rowing the Atlantic alone in 2005, Leven Brown spends most of his time as an expedition leader.