Marine Matt Mason and team set to row across Arctic Ocean

Matt Mason is part of a four-man team from Ocean Revival, who will be taking on the challenge, rowing from Tromso in north Norway, to Longyearbyen on the Island of Svalbard, to raise awareness of the plight of our oceans.

The Vessel (Image: Ocean Revival)

Matt, 34, has undertaken two ocean rows before, and in 2021 was part of the first team to row across the Atlantic from New York to London.

Joining Matt on the epic journey is Scotland-based ocean rower Matt Inglesby, and Somerset-based businessmen Mark Sealey and Colin Hiscock.

With no support vessels, the team - who are expected, weather dependant, to begin the challenge as early as tomorrow (Friday, July 7) - will be entirely self-sufficient.

The vessel (Image: Ocean Revival)

Matt said: “We are currently in Tromso waiting for a weather window.

“We will be rowing 550 nautical miles across the Arctic Ocean, something only 13 other people have done, but we will be the first four-person team to do it.

“The weather will be between zero and seven degrees Celsius, but the Arctic wind could very quickly bring that down into sub-zero temperatures.

“The Arctic Ocean weather is really unpredictable and extremely changeable, so accurate weather forecasting is going to be really difficult.

“We will be rowing in constant daylight and in shifts of two hours on, two hours off.”

In carrying out the challenge, the team are aiming to become the first and fastest four-person team to cross the Arctic; with Matt aiming to become the first person to have rowed across the mid and north Atlantic plus the Arctic Ocean.

Other records up for grabs, with Mark Sealey, who will become the oldest person to row the Arctic Ocean if they complete the journey, while Matt Inglesby will be the first person to row both the Atlantic and the Arctic in the same year.

Matt Inglesby (Image: Ocean Revival)

As part of the row the team are also raising money for YMCA Exeter.

The YMCA Exeter support thousands of young people in the South West of England, focusing primarily on mental health support.

Burnley College are supporting this row and have been giving their students an opportunity to get involved with aspects of the planning and media.

Matt said: “Next term when we return, we will help students plan and the take on their own mini expedition, raising money for a charity of their choice.

“Hopefully giving young people an opportunity to do something completely different that gets them out of their comfort zone and build skills that will last a lifetime.”

To track Matt and the team, and to donate, head to the Ocean Revival website.