Rowing: Five Whanganui prison staff smash 100km non-stop indoor row

Rowing continuously for 100km over 10 hours is the challenge five Whanganui prison staff knocked out of the park on Sunday.

For the past four years the prison staff have been undertaking intense indoor rowing challenges to stay motivated and healthy.

Starting bright and early at 7am Grant Satherley, Mike Isaacs, Lisa Black, Ralph Visser and Darren Whetton all completed the row by 5pm at the Marist Club.

Mr Satherley, who spoke while continuing to row, said they originally had 16 staff signed up but it slowly diminished to five.

"This one's an individual row as a personal challenge - not breaking any records today but you need mental strength more than physical and it's long time.

"But we do it because we're tough and it's a great fitness regime outside of work."

Along the way the Corrections crew have broken a number of Concept 2 world records.

In 2014 10 staff broke the small team male 30-39 age group for the longest continual row - a challenge that took 12 days and 12 hours.

In 2015, 20 staff broke the large team female 20-29 age group for the longest continual row - 3 days, 14 hours, 11 minutes, 21 seconds.

And in March three staff broke the small team men's heavyweight 20-39 age group for the longest continual row taking 3 days, 23 hours, 36 minutes, 7.4 seconds.