Kiwi Atlantic rower holds hopes of nation in his hands

Noel Watkins and Kevin Keane trekking the Himalayas. Photo / Rhys Palmer

New Zealanders claimed the transatlantic race crown in its first three guises - but have since slipped off the pace. The leaders' board has not featured a Kiwi since Kevin Biggar and Jamie Fitzgerald won in 2003.

Noel Watkins is hoping to change that. The 45-year-old is not worried that he has never actually done any ocean rowing.

Come December 4, he will launch his long-held dream to compete in the Atlantic rowing race. Watkins' biggest concern has been in raising the $100,000 needed to buy a boat and get to the start line.

Watkins was born in Kaitaia, grew up in Tokoroa, trained as an engineer in the Navy and for the past two decades has travelled the high seas.

He has spent the past 15 years based in France as captain of a private luxury yacht owned by Auckland rich-lister Gary Lane.

Cruising around the Mediterranean for a job may sound like an idyllic existence, but crewing is hard work and it requires personal sacrifices to be on board around the clock.

When Watkins spoke to the Herald on Sunday he had just moored at Corsica at 11pm and had to be up at 5am to wash the boat.

Lane, who made his fortune as owner of Healtheries and Hansells, returns to New Zealand for summer, which will allow Watkins time to tackle the Atlantic with his rowing partner and good mate, Englishman Kevin Keane.

The friends have previously hiked and kayaked in Nepal together. This next challenge is about pushing themselves to the limit.

"You are going to be so tired and fatigued mentally and physically drained that you find out how you really are," says Watkins.

"The biggest fear is getting out there and not being able to do it and I'm not as tough as I thought I was."

Rob Hamill knows all about the challenges. With Phil Stubbs, the New Zealand rowing Olympian won the first race in 1997 by crossing the ocean in 41 days, 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Hamill says it is the desire to push the boundaries that drives most competitors.

"People always surprise themselves, how resilient they can be - but sometimes people fall over."

Like in 2003, when Englishman Andrew Veal lost sight of land and became paralysed by panic. He curled up in the foetal position and abandoned the crossing, leaving his wife, Debra, to row it alone.

Phobia of the sea is not likely to be a problem for Watkins. The seasoned sailor has crossed the Atlantic previously, albeit in a 12m yacht - not under his own muscle power.

That crossing had its challenges. Watkins ran out of food and cooking gas four days from his destination. He had raw potatoes and tried to cook thin slices on tin foil against the engine - to no avail. "It's amazing what you'll try when you are hungry," he says.

Watkins has calculated he will be burning 6000 calories a day rowing - too many to replace with a diet of mostly freeze-dried food.

His preparation includes lots of cardio fitness, hours on the rowing machine, and he plans to taper off training a month beforehand to bulk up ready for the gruelling journey.

"You lose so much body mass along the way. In the photos of guys finishing, none look very fit at all. You're not getting the right nutrition to repair the muscles so you chew into your muscle mass."

Hamill lost one-sixth of his body weight on his Atlantic crossing, dropping from 84kg to just 70kg.

Watkins plans to keep followers informed by blogging during his Atlantic adventure.

He has already set up the website www.2oarsomerowers.com to record the mission.

Through it, supporters can donate money to two charities Watkins and Keane have chosen to fundraise for through the race - Heart Children New Zealand and Rowans Hospice in the UK.

Watkins says his first goal is to get across safely.

As if that's not ambitious enough, this determined Kiwi has another goal in mind.

"We'll also keep an eye on the lead and if we're close enough, yeah, we'll push ourselves to try to win.