Celebrating the completion of the 2026 GB Row Challenge

After more than 2,000 miles, two record-breaking crews and countless hours on the water, the 2026 GB Row Challenge has come to an inspiring close.

As the lead environmental data partner of this year's challenge, we're proud to celebrate the achievements of Team Rowmads and Team Nautilus, who successfully completed one of the world's toughest endurance events: an unsupported circumnavigation of Great Britain by rowing boat.

The crews battled challenging weather, powerful tides, sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion to complete the journey. Along the way, they also set new records. Team Rowmads became the first and fastest team of five to complete the challenge unsupported, while Team Nautilus set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest mixed crew of six. Their achievement also saw Grace Church become the youngest woman ever to row around the British mainland.

But the challenge was about more than endurance and determination. Throughout the voyage, both crews collected valuable environmental data, including information on microplastic pollution, biodiversity, underwater noise, sea temperature and salinity around the UK's coastline.

The data will now be analysed by scientists at the University of Portsmouth before being shared through our Marine Data Exchange (MDE), the open-access platform we host and manage, which makes marine industry data freely available to everyone. By making the findings accessible through MDE, researchers, industry, communities and policymakers will be able to explore and use the data to build a better understanding of our marine environment.

This latest dataset will contribute to a growing long-term record of the health of UK coastal waters, helping to deepen our understanding of marine ecosystems and support more informed decisions about the future of our seas.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this remarkable challenge. Through their resilience, teamwork and commitment, the crews have not only achieved something extraordinary but also created a lasting legacy for marine research.