Rowing: Lifeline thrown in transatlantic race

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

New Zealanders Steve Westlake and Matt Goodman have been given an extra hour's bonus in their frantic bid to break the transatlantic rowing record.

After almost 3000 nautical miles and 41 days alone at sea, it could all come down to a stopwatch.

The pair, virtually guaranteed victory in the race from Tenerife to Barbados, have to cross the finishline before 1.10 am tomorrow (NZ time) to break the record set by their late police colleague Phil Stubbs, and Rob Hamill.

Westlake and Goodman believed that they had to arrive at Port St Charles before midnight (NZ time), but yesterday it was found that the record set by Hamill and Stubbs five years ago was wrongly recorded.

The record stands at 41 days, two hours and 55 minutes. Last night, Westlake and Goodman had just under 100 miles to row.

Westlake's girlfriend, Steph Brown, and former New Zealand women's rugby lock Jude Ellis are also in the race but 500 nautical miles from the finish.

They are putting up a valiant fight to be third boat home, and to set their own record as the first all-woman crew to row one of the world's oceans.

It has been a long, at times frustrating journey for Westlake and Goodman, who were thrown together at the 11th hour to tackle the transatlantic challenge.

But they say their friendship has remained intact.

Much was made of the personality differences between Hamill and Stubbs in their 1996 campaign but Westlake says it has been plain sailing with Goodman.

"We haven't had any of those kinds of problems - you can hear Matt's still on board," 30-year-old Westlake laughed.

"We knew each other relatively well before we started so we know exactly what's what. We haven't had any issues to work out."

Westlake, a policeman at Auckland Central, and Goodman, a constable at Papakura station, also row on flatter waters - they are the national double sculls champions.

Goodman, 31, was called on only days before the race began when Hamill was forced off the boat with a broken hand.

The New Zealand pair have dealt with minor aches and strains along the way, and rowed most of the trip naked in the 40 degrees Celsius heat. Their biggest problem has been sleep deprivation.

"We've both fallen asleep at the oars a couple of times," said Westlake. "Matt had a real nightmare the other day - he fell asleep and started doing donuts. We were going in circles.

"It's quite incredible to think we've each been doing two-hour shifts every two hours since October 7. We've only had one four-hour break in all that time."

The break came when the headwinds were so strong that they had to put out a sea anchor to stop the boat going backwards. Before the wind changed direction at the halfway point of the race, the pair had been six days ahead of record pace.

It slowed the whole 35-boat fleet. Australian doctors Patrick Weinrauch and Paul McCarthy, who led the race for the first two weeks, are 170 miles behind the New Zealanders.

Westlake and Goodman doubt that they will do the race again.

"There would have to be a bloody good reason," Westlake said. "The rowing itself would be good if it was only three weeks at sea. Six weeks takes its toll in a little boat."

Said Goodman: "There would have to be money for first place to do it again.

"Steve had to take six months off work to get ready."