Pacific Rower to Attempt Record at Vancouver Boat Show

Canadian long distance rower Brenda Robbins will attempt to set a new world record at the Vancouver International Boat Show next week by rowing for 81 straight hours.

Robbins will board her Concept 2 indoor rowing machine as the doors open for the 54th Vancouver International Boat Show at 10:00 am on Wednesday, and continue rowing until at least 7:00 pm on Saturday in order to top the existing record of 80 hours. Robbins, 41, will be allowed just a 10-minute break each hour.

The record attempt is part of the Vancouver resident’s training in preparation for the Great Pacific Race from California to Hawaii, to be held in June. The 3,862-kilometre trip across the Pacific will honour the memory of her father, who died of leukemia last year at the age of 73.

“Ocean rowing is the ultimate endurance sport in that you must endure a lot of pain, sleep deprivation, sea sickness, and discomfort for weeks on end, said Robbins. “They say the challenge is 80 per cent mental, 20 per cent physical. The same is going to be true for the ‘longest continual row’ attempt. It’s a psychological challenge to overcome the physical discomforts. When my mind is telling me to stop, I need to be able to ignore that and keep going.”

Show visitors will be able to cheer Robbins on – and try matching her pace by rowing beside her – at the East Field Access area on the main floor of BC Place.

The Vancouver International Boat Show will be held from Wednesday January 20 till Sunday January 24 at BC Place and Granville Island in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia.