ATLANTIC ROW 2026

COASTAL COMMANDERS

We are the Coastal Commanders - a team of three commercial airline captains competing in the World's Toughest Row 2026. We are swapping the flight deck for the boat deck and taking on this extreme challenge to prove that anything is possible.

SUPPORT OUR MISSION:

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THE CHALLENGE

We are rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

We want to break the current trio world record of 35 days.

JOIN OUR MISSION

We're on a mission to inspire and motivate people to lead active lives and overcome life’s challenges.

Help us raise £150,000 for our charity partners—donate now!

PARTNERS

We offer potential partners the opportunity to support our campaign and access to a huge global audience.

Become a part of our exciting journey.

FOLLOW.

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month!

In 2019, @jon.reilly was diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer. Thanks to early detection and treatment, he made a full recovery - and just months later, he was back competing in triathlons. Now, he’s preparing to row across the Atlantic to raise awareness and support for cancer charities.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer affecting men aged 15-49 in the UK, but with early detection, it’s one of the most curable. A simple 2-minute self-check could make all the difference.

Recently, @chrisstark spoke openly about how he ignored symptoms and felt stupid for not getting checked sooner. He’s not alone - too many men put it off. But checking yourself is quick, easy, and could save your life.

A huge thanks to @oddballsfdn for their incredible work in raising awareness and encouraging more men to #CheckYourBalls. Let’s break the stigma, start conversations, and make self-checks a habit.

#TesticularCancerAwarenessMonth #coastalcommanders

@jon.reilly finally made it to a 5KYW parkrun last month—here are his thoughts:

“Shame to be missing it today as I’ll be working—flying to Tenerife ☀️.

It was fantastic to be out under clear blue skies in the beautiful Trelissick grounds. There’s something about heading to a parkrun - walking or running alongside others - that’s a great way to reset and clear your head, whether that’s to deal with the challenges of everyday life or something bigger. 5K Your Way takes this one step further, creating a welcoming space for those living with and beyond cancer to get active, connect, and find strength in movement.

Meeting the Trelissick 5KYW group really reinforced why we’re taking on this challenge for two such meaningful charities. I spoke to a couple who had relied on the Young Lives vs Cancer ‘Home from Home’ scheme while making the heartbreaking journey from Truro to Bristol for their late 17-year-old daughter’s treatment. I also met those who had never exercised before cancer but, after diagnosis, found the motivation to get moving - one guy had even gone on to complete ultra marathons!

We love what @moveagainstcancercharity and @younglivesvscancer do and can’t wait to be more involved throughout our campaign and beyond. Hearing these stories was a powerful reminder of why we’re pushing ourselves to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic - to support these incredible charities and help more people through their toughest challenges.”

#CoastalCommanders #5KYourWay #MoveAgainstCancer #YoungLivesVsCancer #WorldsToughestRow #RowForACause

📢 Hot off the press! Coastal Commanders are in the news.

Big thanks to @plymouth.live , @jepnews , and @worcesternews for sharing our story as we prepare for the World’s Toughest Row 2026.

Every feature helps us raise awareness and support for our cancer charities whilst we prepare to take on this incredible challenge.

Swipe through to read the latest articles ➡️

#CoastalCommanders #WorldsToughestRow #InTheNews #RowForACause #OceanRowing

New blog out now, courtesy of @tritrainingharder!

I dive into my latest challenge - rowing 3,000 miles unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean in 2026 with two pilot colleagues.

Read the article to find out why we’re taking on this challenge and how we’re preparing for such an epic journey while making a lasting impact.

Link in bio ☝️

A big thank you!

We’ve received our first 10 meals for our Feed a Rower scheme. Every meal fuels our training as we prepare for the ultimate challenge—rowing across the ocean in 2026.

But we’ve got a long way to go. This summer alone, we’ll need 72 meals to power our offshore training in Plymouth.

Want to help fuel our journey? £10 = 1 meal.

Click the link in our bio to donate.

A huge thanks to our meal providers so far:
Liz Hart
Danielle Bird
Oliver Miller
Michelle Roberts
Monique Clark
@josh_holby_knight

#FeedARower #ThankYou #RowingChallenge

FLIGHT LEVEL CLUB - NEW MEMBERS

Welcome aboard! ✈️

A huge thank you to our newest Flight Level Club members for signing up to our exclusive club.

We’d love to see more people join and enjoy the benefits - check out the link in our bio for all the details!

Flight Level 100 Members:
@hugorichardson1981
Tom Matthews
Phil Gilbert
@jameshawks626
@givewheel

#FlightLevelClub

BOAT UPDATE

Freedom is back at @rannochadventure HQ after an incredible crossing in the 2024 race with the @atlanticexploarers.

She’s now getting a full service and some key upgrades to make her even more efficient for our challenge ahead. In just a few weeks, she’ll be in our hands, and we can’t wait to start putting her through her paces.

The next chapter is about to begin.

📸 @worlds.toughest.row

#CoastalCommanders #FreedomReturns #AtlanticRow

Finishing off the session with an @ocean_ready_ core workout at its finest! Getting used to these now—bring on plenty more!

#OceanRowing #CoreStrength #TrainingForTheAtlantic

SPONSORSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT

We’re thrilled to welcome Lithgow Perkins LLP aboard as an Oar Sponsor for our World’s Toughest Row campaign!

Based in Harrogate, Lithgow Perkins is an independent firm of Chartered Accountants with over 50 years of experience in taxation, accounting, and business advisory. Just like us, they know that success comes from dedication, strategy, and resilience—whether that’s navigating financial waters or rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic!

With their support, we’re one step closer to making this challenge a reality, raising funds for Young Lives vs Cancer and MOVE Against Cancer.

Check them out at lithgow-perkins.co.uk and join us on this journey!

#WorldsToughestRow #LithgowPerkins #OarSponsor #CharteredAccountants

Jon reminiscing on running the whole South West Coast Path this time last year. Short pre-surf pootle this morning—looking great in this epic weather.

🏆 100M ROWING CHALLENGE RESULTS!

📍 STN Airport | 18th February 2025

What an epic showdown on the rowers!

We had over 40 people step up to our 100m rowing challenge over the course of the day – with our first competitors getting on at 4:30 AM! Now that’s how you warm up before a flight!

Huge congratulations to our winners and runners-up in each category:

🏅 Male Under 40
🥇 @tomcaseyfitness - 15.3s
🥈 @ben_harfield - 15.5s

🏅 Male Over 40
🥇 Seb Honey - 17.5s
🥈 Mark Wilkinson - 18.9s

🏅 Female Under 40
🥇 Maddy Mead - 23.0s
🥈 Evie Russell - 23.8s

🏅 Female Over 40
🥇 Hilda - 25.2s
🥈 Nadine Thomson - 25.6s

A massive thank you to everyone who got involved and made this challenge such a success!

Stay tuned for more competitions coming soon!

#RowToVictory #CoastalCommanders #100mChallenge #RowingCompetition #AirportWorkout #EarlyMorningGrind #jetsetandsweat

Passengers and staff at @stn_airport took on our 100m sprint rowing challenge—kids, pensioners, and everyone in between! Huge thanks to all who took part.

Results and prizes will be posted today!

Missed out?

You can still donate to our crowdfunding campaign—link in bio!

#RowForACause #CoastalCommanders

Rowing, fundraising, and sharing our mission at @stn_airport! Huge thanks to everyone who stopped by, had a chat, and supported our challenge.

If you missed us, don’t forget you can still donate—link in bio.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

#CoastalCommanders

What a day at Stansted Airport!

Last week, we launched our first Coastal Commanders campaign fundraiser, rowing non-stop from 4 AM to 8 PM at @stn_airport!

By 4:30 AM, travelers were already stepping up to take on our 100m sprint row challenge, bringing amazing energy and enthusiasm.

A huge thank you to @signsexpressplymouth for our standout banners and to everyone who stopped by, donated, and got involved. Your support means everything!

Between us, we covered nearly 200km in one-hour shifts, pushing our limits just like we will on the Atlantic. We also trialed our freeze-dried meals from @dineoutmeals —verdict? Chicken Tikka was a winner!

From early-morning passengers to airport staff jumping in to have a go, the support was incredible. We loved hearing your stories, sharing our mission, and raising vital funds for our campaign.

A massive THANK YOU to everyone who donated and backed our adventure. Your generosity is helping us take on this challenge, and remember—all proceeds post-row go to our chosen charities through the sale of our kit and equipment.

Missed us at Stansted? No worries—you can still get involved! Donation link in bio.

Stay tuned—we’ll be revealing the results of our 100m rowing challenge soon! 🚣‍♂️

Check out our full blog on the fundraiser—link in bio too!

#CoastalCommanders #StanstedFundraiser #RowingChallenge #Fundraising #CharityRowing

Soaking in the views over Norway—snow-capped peaks, fjords, and endless horizons. Epic!

#flying #aviation #pilot #pilotlife

Big day tomorrow! We’ll be at Stansted Airport fundraising for our @worlds.toughest.row and raising awareness for @younglivesvscancer and @moveagainstcancercharity .
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Looking forward to meeting everyone—come say hi, learn more about the challenge, and support two incredible charities! See you there.
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#CoastalCommanders #RowForCancer #YoungLivesvsCancer #MoveAgainstCancer #Fundraising #Stansted

Mont Blanc looking tempting on the way into Geneva… maybe another challenge for the Coastal Commanders one day?

#mountblanc #aviation #views #alps #challenge

That’s a wrap!

All 38 teams from the 2024 race are now safely back on dry land after setting off on December 11th. Huge congratulations to every crew—what an incredible achievement!

Bring on the 2026 race!

#CoastalCommanders #AtlanticRowing

📣 BIG NEWS! 🗞️
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We’re kicking off our first fundraiser, thanks to @stn_airport!
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Come down and support our mission - Three pilots. One ocean. 3,000 miles.
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We’re taking on the @worlds.toughest.row 2026, pushing our limits to cross the Atlantic and raising £150,000 for @younglivesvscancer and @moveagainstcancercharity
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Join us at London Stansted Airport on February 18th:
• Test yourself on the rowing machines
• Take on challenges and win prizes
• Every donation helps us reach the start line

📍 Landside by Security | 03:00 - 20:00

Meet the team, get involved, and be part of something big.

#CoastalCommanders #WorldsToughestRow #Rowing #Endurance #Fundraiser #pushyourlimits

Solid session with Martin, good to get an @ocean_ready_ workout in. Jon got the training memo… just not the Coastal Commanders t-shirt one. #AtlanticRow #OceanReady

🚣‍♂️ FEED A ROWER! 🍽️

Exciting news – the next stage of our crowdfunding campaign is LIVE! You can now help us buy our meals for the row!

We’re rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, burning 6,000 calories a day, and we need 720 meals to keep us going for 40+ days of nonstop rowing.

* £10 feeds one rower for a meal
* £30 feeds the whole team
* Buy 3+ meals & get a personal thank-you gift!

We’ll be fuelled by @dineoutmeals, providing us with high-energy, freeze-dried meals designed to sustain us through the toughest conditions. Every meal will keep us rowing strong and lift our spirits—be part of the adventure!

Find the link in our bio or visit www.coastalcommanders.com to donate!

#CoastalCommanders #FeedARower #AtlanticRow #dineoutmeals

Today is World Cancer Day – a reminder that cancer affects millions of lives, but also that strength, resilience, and hope can prevail.

Our Atlantic row is about more than just crossing an ocean. We’re rowing for those impacted by cancer, inspired by our teammate Jon’s own journey from diagnosis to recovery. His story is proof that movement is powerful—not just for the body, but for the mind and spirit too.

That’s why we’re supporting @younglivesvscancer and @moveagainstcancercharity , two charities making a real difference in the fight against cancer. Every mile we take on on this row will be dedicated to those facing the toughest battles.

Join us in raising awareness, supporting those affected, and pushing for a world where no one has to fight cancer alone.

#WorldCancerDay #CoastalCommanders #MoveAgainstCancer #younglivesvscancer

Week 3 of the @erdinger.alkoholfrei.uk #5KYW Challenge - FANCY DRESS—getting the work done on the ergs, even in uniform 👨🏻‍✈️.

It’s not always about big efforts, just finding a way to keep moving.

Have you moved today?

#5kyw #getmoving #moveagainstcancer

Introducing the Flight Level Club

We’re aiming to raise £50,000 to purchase our boat, FREEDOM, this spring, and take a significant step toward our Atlantic Ocean row. Your support will not only help us achieve this goal but also contribute to raising vital funds for our cancer charities: @moveagainstcancercharity and @younglivesvscancer.
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By joining the Flight Level Club, you’ll receive exclusive Coastal Commanders merchandise as a token of our appreciation. See our website for details.
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Every donation, big or small, gets us closer to our goal and strengthens our commitment to making a difference.
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Visit our website and click DONATE to join today and help us make our journey a reality!
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www.coastalcommanders.com

Big news coming soon!

The next step in our Atlantic adventure is on the horizon, and we’ll need your help to make it a reality.

Our boat, FREEDOM, has just completed its Atlantic crossing and will soon be ours—stay tuned for all the details as we launch Coastal Commanders crowdfunding!

Our boat, FREEDOM, has just completed her first Atlantic crossing with team @atlanticexploarers in an impressive 41 days! Congratulations on an inspiring journey—we can’t wait to welcome FREEDOM back to the UK once she’s made her way home. Thank you for taking such great care of her out there!

Throwback to our first meet-up last year—Jon’s debut on the erg and our first attempt at rowing in sync.

Safe to say, the form needed some serious work!

Thankfully, we’re now working with the expert at @ocean_ready_ to get us shipshape.

Here’s to progress and leaving this very average technique behind! 💪

#OceanRowing #Teamwork #CoastalCommanders #RowingJourney

The 2024 race leaders, @teamrow4cancer , have less than 300nm to go and should reach land in just a few days. Our boat, FREEDOM, is holding strong and has climbed into 5th place under the power of @atlanticexploarers. It’s the final stretch now for the leading crews 💪

#OceanRowing #RowToWin #TeamFreedom #AtlanticChallenge #RowHard #Endurance #OceanAdventure #FinalPush

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COASTAL COMMANDERS

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ATLANTIC ROW 2026

COASTAL COMMANDERS

THE CHALLENGE

JOIN OUR MISSION

PARTNERS

FOLLOW.

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COASTAL COMMANDERS

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