A ROWER from Speen has broken a world record to become the youngest person ever to cross the Atlantic raising over £250,000 for Spinal Research.

Former Chesham Grammar School pupil, Greg Symondson, 22, from Speen and the Atlantic4, rowed their way into the record books on Monday to become the youngest four-man crew to make the 3,000 mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Greg said the trip had its highs and lows with the lack of sleep and blistering heat making it a tough challenge.

“Definitely the hardest part was the sleep deprivation, the longest amount of time I slept was 100 minutes.”

With temperatures reaching in excess of 30 degrees Celsius, Greg and team mates Adam Wolley, 23, and Hugo and Ross Turner, 23, welcomed heavy ocean rainfalls.

“In the last week, we were all feeling our most exhausted, our smelliest and stickiest, when we watched this massive wall of rain come towards us and just pour down heavier than any rain you will ever get on land. We all stripped off, got the shampoo out and just had a really good wash in the cool, fresh water.”

The crew set off from the Canary Islands on December 5, rowing over 3,000 miles in a 29ft transatlantic rowing boat, to reach the finish line in Barbados on Monday.

They were crowned first place winners in their Class (four-person crew) and third overall in the TALISKER Whiskey Atlantic Challenge.

Twins Hugo and Ross Turner have also made it into the record books as the first twins to row across any ocean in the world.

The friends, who met at Loughborough University, took on the tough challenge to raise money for Spinal Research, after crew member Hugo suffered an almost devastating spinal injury aged 17-years-old.

Greg said: “Upon arrival in Barbados, we found out that we raised £250,000 for Spinal Research which we were just elated about. That was definitely the biggest success of the row.”

The friends caught a glimpse of some of the Atlantic's most exciting wildlife including a whale, a huge Blue Marlin and a shark. But it was Dorado or Dolphin fish that they particularly enjoyed.

“We caught some smaller Dorado fish which we cut up and ate raw like sushi with some lemon Jif that we had.”

The Atlantic4 were welcomed to Barbados by their family, friends, burgers and beer.