Roy Finlay, ORCA

Roy Finlay 🇬🇧

Skipper, ORCA Founder
Dr. Robert Cunliffe
Rob 🇬🇧

Rowing Crew
A UK-based Doctor, keen surfer, spearfisherman, all round paddle sports and adventure enthusiast. Previous holder of the record for the longest prone paddleboard journey, paddling 400 miles along the remote northeastern coastline of Panama, locating two undiscovered populations of Antillean manatee along the way. Expedition experience also includes sailing to the east coast of Greenland aboard a 105 year old pilot cutter, cycle traversing Patagonia, as well as supporting expedition groups in a medical capacity to Kilimanjaro and Everest base camp.

Tommaso Fusco
Tommaso 🇮🇹

Rowing Crew
Tommaso is an evolutionary biologist and ultra-endurance athlete. He holds the world record for the most consecutive 113km triathlons and successfully completed a scientific expedition crossing the Vatnajökull glacier (Iceland) by ski and sledge. Specialist in ultra-running and cycling, he combines a deep background in endurance sports with a passion for nature and red wine.

Youssef
Youssef 🇲🇦

Rowing Crew
Youssef is a US-based climate technologies engineer whose pursuits are shaped by curiosity, challenge, and exploration. Born and raised in Morocco, he has lived in seven countries and traveled to more than 40. He was part of a crew rowing team for 4 years and is passionate about hiking, scuba diving, and outdoor adventure. He has completed mountaineering expeditions in Ecuador and Tanzania.

Kat 🇬🇧

Rowing Crew
Kat works in a bank by day, but seeks out environments that demand resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. In 2020/21, she rowed the Atlantic as part of Team ExtraOARdinary, setting a world record as fastest female trio to cross. She has raced around Australia, (Sydney Hobart Yacht Race) and crossed the Pacific, Qingdao to Seattle. Most recently, her Into Clean Air expedition saw her spend six weeks off-roading across the Atacama Desert.

Sofia Deambrosi
Sofia 🇺🇾

Rowing Crew
Sofia grew up in Uruguay before moving to Europe at a young age to study and work. She is a sailor, endurance athlete, and global adventurer with a deep connection to the sea. She led an all-female crew rowing across the Atlantic and has skippered yachts across major international waters. With a background in finance and crew rowing, her expedition experience also includes cycling across countries and leading ski groups. A keen hiker and trail runner, she thrives in challenging environments, bringing strong navigation, seamanship, and expedition leadership to every adventure.

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O.R.C.A CREW APPLICATION FORM

Want to know more?

We’re assembling a team of 6 exceptional individuals for a world record-breaking transatlantic rowing expedition and the kite-powered flight home.
This is your chance to join an elite crew on an unforgettable journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Ocean rowing is prohibitively expensive. To combat this, we introduced the now termed “pay per place” model in the mid-90s. Crew fee was £5,000. With inflation. £5,000 in 1997 is equal to £11,630 today. 

The projected length is 28 days or less at an average speed of 4 knots.

This expedition includes comprehensive training and full support from leading experts in multihull ocean rowing. Training will be of a standard, which will go beyond “competent crew”. Each individual will be trained in navigation, boat handling, survival at sea, first aid, maintenance, communication, correct use of safety equipment and associated protocol. In other words training will be of a standard which will allow each crew member to safely take charge of the vessel in all respects.

Pre and post expedition events with exclusive edited film, social media opportunities, sponsorship contracts with O.R.C.A assistance. Three decades of successful fundraising experience on your side.

Think Ryanair 10kg. We will advise specifically after selection. Bare essentials. Drugs and alcohol strictly prohibited.
You can purchase your own food at a discounted rate from our sponsors and deduct £500 from your fee.

Gender, colour, religion is unimportant. The simple answer is we have a criteria to meet, you will be selected on merit. Whilst all crew will be physically fit a high emphasis will be applied to mental strength during training.

The Atlantic is possibly the biggest bathroom in the world. It doesn’t care, as long as its not oil or plastic. “Bucket and chuck it” is the preferred method.

Our course may change in accordance with weather patterns, we may have to wait in port for weather, we may be delayed at sea for other reasons. The best compromise of placing the world record as paramount and preventing financial loss for supporters by being in the wrong place, is to inform of the arrival point as the boat reaches midway.

Because ocean rowing will inflict pain, misery, fear, blisters, sea sickness, upside down emotions and the list goes on. Your humour and the crew’s will help in overcoming the negatives, allowing you to enjoy the positivity of remembering why you’re crossing the Atlantic. Either you remain focused on being the best in the world or you don’t. “State of mind” is extremely important.

We know why…Whilst personal accomplishment is a big part of it, you really want to subtly hang it on your bathroom wall and invite friends for dinner. Or is it about the journey?

O.R.C.A ANNUAL DINNER