Rob Cross (S 2008-2013) and Rob Treasure (I 2009-2014) are serving infantry Captains in the British Army. From December 2024 to January 2025, they rowed across the Atlantic Ocean alongside their friend Charlie Newman. The journey from Spain to Antigua took 40 days, 17 hours and 40 minutes.
Getting to the start line was the toughest part. Over three and a half years of preparation, they navigated fundraising challenges, endless administration, significant life events and endless questions of ‘have you still not done it yet?’ Life at sea was uncompromising. Basic tasks such as eating, sleeping and washing became complex. The boat was constantly moving and despite the severe conditions, each man would row 15 hours a day.
Cross and Treasure will discuss how they prepared for the crossing, how three friends with different strengths ended up in the same boat and what they learned from forty days in a space barely larger than a floating garden shed. Their reflections focus on friendship, Shrewsbury and the Army’s influence on them and how the experience has shaped them since returning to normal life.
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