TWO brothers are making the final preparations ahead of their attempt to row the Atlantic Ocean – a challenge which has been years in the making.

Jay and Kiran Olenicz, who are both from Poole, are set to depart on their epic journey on Tuesday December 12.

If successful, the duo will become the youngest ever pair to cross the Atlantic by manual propulsion and coincidently set a new benchmark for the youngest siblings to achieve the feat.

The pair hope to complete the challenge in under 55 days, however it could take as long as 90 days depending on the conditions.

After setting off from Gran Canaria, the team, called Oarsome Odyssey, will face the harsh and testing challenges of the open ocean en route to Barbados.

In completing the challenge the rowers will cover a staggering 3,000 nautical miles.

Ahead of the marathon task that is in store, Kiran said it was good feeling to nearly be out on the water.

"Me and my brother have been training for two years. I had never rowed before doing this," he said.

"We're both really excited to be going soon. We have spent so long planning and just to get to the start.

"This is an amazing opportunity for us and we have given it all the chat, now it is time to do it.

"We're a bit nervous because we have never done anything like this, but we're both very determined."

Kiran, 19, said his brother carries all the rowing experience in the crew and the challenge has been a four-year dream for 22-year-old Jay.

After previous partners dropped out of the challenge, Jay has teamed up with his younger brother in an attempt to join the small group of people to row the Atlantic Ocean.

Alongside the inevitable long sessions on rowing machines, Kiran said the brothers have been preparing for other elements of the row.

"We have done a lot of sea swimming because if we go overboard we have to be able to swim and get back in the boat," he said.

"On top of the physical stuff, we have been trying to eat as much as we can over the last few weeks to bulk up.

"By the time we finish we are likely to have lost 20 per cent of our body weight. There is a massive mental side to the challenge."

Through their efforts, the brothers are raising money for Julia's House children's hospice and Alzheimers research charity BRACE.

To find out more about the challenge and to track the team's progress visit oarsomeodyssey.com.