The Race
The Atlantic Rowing Race 2007 started from San Sebastian, La Gomera in December 2007 and finished 5000km away at Nelsons Dockyard, Antigua. Both the route and the time of year when the Race took place provided teams with the best possible conditions, taking advantage of the predominately South Westerly flowing current from the Canaries to South America, as well as exploiting the surface current created by the favorable prevailing wind. The Race window also avoided the Caribbean hurricane season. Competitors in this race joined the elite few who have taken on the ocean in a rowing boat, with more people having gone into space or climbed Mt. Everest, than have rowed across an ocean. They not only had to propel themselves across the ocean, but also had to be completely self sufficient in the process. 

The Man
Peter van Kets: 41, adrenaline seeking adventurer par excellence, is relatively new to rowing. Peter has, however, spent the last 40 years either in or on the ocean in his capacity as diver, surfer, strandlooper, yachtsman and paddler. He is a certified yachtsmaster, highly competent navigator, has completed many ocean crossings as skipper and has competed in most major SA yachting events winning South African titles and Offshore Series.

Peter’s dynamic presentation is backed up with visually powerful slides and deals with achieving success against tremendous odds, teamwork, achieving goals and managing uncertainty - the lessons he learned rowing across the Atlantic and how the team overcame obstacles in order to win the race.

The New Adventure!
Now, less than seven months later, Peter has decided to do it again. He said the challenge of going it alone was just too tempting. 
If victorious in the race, which is expected to begin in December 2009, Van Kets will become the first man to win both the Atlantic singles and pairs. “I don’t know what the record is, but I will definitely break it,” is his determined and confident prediction.