Our Approach

We know we are not Olympic Athletes but why should that stop four determined people achieving something spectacular.

Living within a few miles of one another in the beautiful county of Shropshire, we can all see the Wrekin landmard from our homes – this inspired us to call our team Wrekin Rowers.

Whilst three of us already knew each other through attending indoor rowing classes for a number of years, we became a crew of four by being part of the Shropshire Adventure Rowing Club. The club boasts a fantastic set of people, many have completed a variety of challenges, including rowing the Irish sea as part of the bi-annual Celtic Challenge. The abbreviated short name for the club is ‘SARC’, which led us to name our boat Noah SARC,  to reflect how much the club means to us all.

Crew Member	Profile Picture	Profile
Stuart Shepherd		I have been rowing since my early 40's, starting with an ergo and finally sea rowing in a Celtic. Married to Julia for the last 30 years and with two grown up daughters (Tori and Amy), family life is extremely important to me and without their full support I would not be putting myself forward for this challenge. Having built a software business over the last 30 years with a lot of great people to help, I decided to sell it in January 2019 to allow me to move onto other things and will take more time in 2021 for this to ensure that I fulfil my part in this tremendous crew. We are all members of Shropshire Adventure Rowing Club (SARC) through which we have taken part in many adventures already with a whole bunch of like minded and some would say crazy people. Tori has to take the credit for coming up with our cheesy boat name 'Noah SARC'
Gary Richards		Exiting times ahead I am always up for a challenge and to do it with my brother, Martin and Stuart. We shall make an amazing four. The training help and encouragement is going to be a roller coaster. Defeat isn’t in our vocabulary. Glasses up to adventures ahead salty seas and strength in mind and arm.
Martin Skehan		I'm Martin Skehan, Married to Lynne and formerly married to my late wife Becky who passed away in 2010. Lynne too lost her Husband, Mike, in 2010. I Have two children, Joseph (28) and Isobel (26) and two step sons Adam (31) and Matt (29). Lynne and I feel blessed that we have been able to move forward together after our previous long and happy marriages both ended by the untimely and heartfelt loss of our loved ones. For both of us part of our restorative journey together has been exercise and fitness. This has engendered in me a love for having a goal and a challenge. Rowing, initially indoor and more lately outdoor and maritime rowing has been a focus for my exercise and has brought me into a friendship group of like minded individuals who I am proud to join as a team. We all live within sight of a famed local landmark, the Wrekin Hill in Shropshire and are proud to be known as the 'Wrekin Rowers' looking to take on the biggest challenge of our lives, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 2021, rowing as a foursome across the Atlantic. What more of a challenge could you want and particularly in these times, when the opportunity presents, "Grab It!"
Stuart Richards		After becoming visually impaired in my early 20s my life took a major setback. With a massive help from my Family. friends and sport I rebuilt my life. I have completed and attempted many challenges and events since then but I did not think this would be within my capabilities back then. After indoor rowing for many years i’d read about the Atlantic race. It amazed. thrilled and excited me . After joining SARC and rowing in various events friends with similar ambitions the Atlantic became closer. Life and friends have come together and it looks like we may have a chance to get to the start .