June 27, 2011 2.48 pm This story is over 153 months old

Chris Farrell rows toward Guinness Record

Rowing on: The Lincolnite speaks to Chris Farrell, a rower hoping to break the Guinness World Record for non-stop rowing.

On Friday, Lincoln’s Holiday Inn hotel is set to host a world record attempt, as local Chris Farrell takes on the age 20-29 lightweight category for continuously rowing on a rowing machine.

Starting July 1, Farrell (23) will attempt to row for over 40 hours straight without sleep and with a mere 10-minute toilet break every hour.

The current title is held by Dave Holby at 30 hours. Farrell explained why he has decided to go for 40 hours:

“You could be cheeky and do 31 hours, but the aim is to do something that someone else wanting the title is going to look at and say actually that’s a lot.”

Farrell is not only competing for the record, but is also doing it as part of a fundraising event. He will be trying to raise money for Kidney Research UK and the Rowing Centre in Lincoln, where he trains.

Both these causes are very close to him, in particular the work done at Kidney research UK.

“It is a hereditary thing in my family. My granddad used to have kidney disease and the charity helped him out a lot, he used to be on dialysis and then eventually had a transplant, but that failed and he had to have another, but unfortunately he still died.

“It is a disease that is carried on in genes and it seems to be going through my family at the moment.”

Farrell also added that the disease seems to have skipped his generation. He hopes that the money raised will go towards finding out about the disease and trying to improve it.

Farrell has been training intensely in preparation for the event, and said that the hardest part is going to be going without sleep, and that he will be relying on the support others to get him through the two days.

“It’s just about keeping mind over matter really. The rowing club are coming down, my mum and dad will be doing quite a lot of the night-time shifts, and I’ve got some friends that are coming down for the whole event.”

He says that he is welcome to any ideas people may have to help him get through what is bound to be a gruelling 40 hours.

“Anybody’s welcome to come down. Fingers crossed, loads of people have said they will. Someone even said they wanted to read several books to me.”

For anyone who wants to get involved, the event will be kicking off at midday on Friday and there will even be the opportunity to do a bit of rowing beside Chris.

To find out more or to sponsor Farrell, visit kidneyresearchukevents.org.