Two young men from Dorset who both attended The Thomas Hardye School, along with two university friends, are competing in one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges - The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2022.

Daragh MacDonagh and Sam Weston, both 24, are part of the Atlantic ExplOARers team for the challenge which will see the four men row across the Atlantic Ocean from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda, a distance of more than 4800km (3000 miles). The annual race begins in early December, with up to 30 teams participating from around the world. Weeks before the race begins, the rowing teams and the world's media begin to gather in the race village to prepare for the event. The mental and physical endurance required to complete the challenge is extreme - more people have been to space or climbed Mount Everest than have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. Each competitor will row for two hours and rest for two hours, twenty-four hours a day, every day. The average crossing takes 42 days but is hugely dependent on weather conditions - in the 2016 race, solo rower Daryl Farmer arrived in Antigua after 96 days, having lost his rudder on the 56th day! Competitors will battle sleep deprivation, salt sores, dehydration, hallucinations, storms, sun stroke and waves of up to 30ft.

Daragh and Sam were inspired to compete in the event following the tragic deaths of two of their friends from The Thomas Hardye School in recent years. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for under-35s in the UK and it is estimated that 1 in 4 people experience a mental health issue every year. The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge has raised over £10m for charities since 2013 and the Atlantic Exploarers hope to do their little bit by raising money for MIND, the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. In the past year, MIND has reached 20,000 young people through its work to improve mental health in schools; responded to over 118,000 people seeking advice via its helplines; and worked with employers to support over 775,000 people to have better mental health at work.

Atlantic Exploarers are actively seeking corporate sponsors to help us get to the start line. For full details on sponsorship benefits including television coverage, print coverage, the team presenting at your company, social media coverage, documentary appearances, and more please contact atlanticexploarers@gmail.com. More details are also available on www.atlanticexploarers.co.uk. Instagram: @atlanticexploarers. Facebook: Atlantic Exploarers.