Sam completes Atlantic test

4:20pm Friday 4th April 2008

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A YOUNG rower from Box who set himself the task of crossing the Atlantic Ocean solo has completed the challenge.

Sam Williams, 24, arrived in Antigua on March 27 after 75 days at sea and rowing 3,750 miles in his 23ft long boat Pacific Pete.

His mother Kit spoke to the Chippenham News from Antigua on Monday and said her son was fine, if not a little sore, despite his gruelling challenge.

She said: "He had no physical after-effects, although he did faint about five minutes after getting off the boat.

"That may have had something to do with all the punch and champagne that was around at the time."

The proud mother said her son's feet had not touched the ground since reaching his destination and that he had been flown to New York at the beginning of the week by ABC News to appear on Good Morning America.

Mr Williams was joined by other members of his family to help him celebrate his achievement.

He had been working as a proof reader for a London law firm before he decided to embark on the challenge, raising more than £20,000 for charity FARM-Africa in the process.

He told the Chippenham News the idea had come to him while he was at university.

He said when studying at the Royal Veterinary College in London he used to pass the Ocean Rowing Society's headquarters on his way to class.

He said had never been any good at rowing, but that this was something he really wanted to do.

On his website, Mr Williams said of his arrival in Antigua: "I'm still yet to really come back down to earth.

"I set about finishing off what I intended to do."

The rower's family have lived in Box since he was 10 and he has been inundated with messages of support since he left on December 12.

His challenge received the backing of celebrity explorer Michael Palin, who is patron of FARM-Africa, which works with poor African farmers helping them to provide food for their families.