Sofa Stories

“Old Enough to Row Better” : 3000 Miles, 5 Mates, 1 Ocean

Nick Bianchi & Gary Pemberton

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0:00 | 40:14

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In this inspiring episode, Nick and Gary sit down with Gail Wolstenholme and Martyn Horleston, two members of the “Old Enough To Row Better” crew; an extraordinary team of endurance rowers preparing to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Training off the coast of North Wales, this mixed crew (with an average age of over 50) is taking on the ultimate challenge: rowing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean between December 2027 and January 2028, with the goal of setting a world record as the oldest mixed crew of five to complete the crossing.

Gail shares her journey from IT professional and teacher to passionate rower, as well as her deep connection to East Cheshire Hospice, the charity she’s supporting after years of caring for loved ones. Martyn, a kitchen fitter, lifelong sportsman, and coach, opens up about his motivation for rowing in support of Men Unite, driven by personal experiences with the impact of men’s mental health struggles.

Together, they talk to Nick & Gary about resilience, purpose, and proving that life after 50 is anything but slowing down. This episode is about pushing limits, breaking stereotypes, and showing what’s possible when you aim for the horizon.

We hope you enjoy 

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