An Irishman is on the verge of winning the World’s Toughest Row — a gruelling 4,800km journey across the Atlantic. Daragh MacLoughlin, 42, has powered through over 4,000km of treacherous seas from the Canaries and is expected to reach Antigua by Friday. If his current progress continues, the Galway businessman will take top spot in the solo category. On Sunday, he was 80 nautical miles ahead of his nearest rival, Belgium’s Thomas van Woensel on ‘Madlantic’. DolphinsHowever, one of his most exhilarating experiences involved being trailed by a pod of dolphins as the seas turned menacing.

Source: Irish Examiner January 18, 2026 15:47 UTC