Le FigaROW

I have always enjoyed being around, in or on the water and have my qualfication as a dive master. I took up rowing 14 years ago and eventually had to give it up because of work commitments. When I started my own company 4 years ago, I went back into rowing and won 8 pots in the 2006 regatta season. I am currently completing my training to be a rowing coach. The London 2 Paris for me will be a taster if I want to then go on to row the Atlantic or Indian Ocean. I think it will be a great experience and look forward to the challenge!

Email Mary: mary@lefigarowteam.com

I am married with 3 children and live in Northamptonshire. I am a self employed heating engineer, working on boats and caravans. I'm more used to paddling than rowing, having participated in many endurance raft races (up to 100 miles long) and am a member of the GB senior men's dragonboat squad, winning 3 silver medals at the European Championships in Prague. I have also competed in endurance triathlons and 2 day backpacking mountain marathons. This will be the longest and hardest challenge to date and I can't wait!

Email Chris: chris@lefigarowteam.com

I always like a new challenge and the thought of reducing our carbon emissions by a novel way seemed too hard to miss - even if it did involve rowing across the open sea to reach the wonderful city of Paris. I look forward to seeing the finishing line looming ahead knowing we have completed this challenge as a team. Previous events on www.extremesteps.com.

Email Steven: steven@lefigarowteam.com

I have been rowing since I started university when I rowed for Christ's College, Cambridge, where I obtained blades in the first division in 2005. I currently row at Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing Club and competed at Women's Henley in 2007 where we finished in the top 8 of the intermediate VIIIs. Why do I want to do L2P? I like a challenge, something to aim towards and hopefully the feeling of satisfaction when it's all complete!

Email Lucy: lucy@lefigarowteam.com

I love sport and the outdoors, including running, walking, dragon boating, rowing, power pilates and the gym. I have been rowing since 2001 just for fun and recently took a year off rowing to move to other things. I missed rowing so much that I decided to come back in style and row to Paris. I ran the Flora London Marathon 2007, raising £2600 for Bowel Cancer UK. L2P is my next big adventure and fundraising event.

Email Amy: amy@lefigarowteam.com

I am from Nottingham and I am Women's Captain at Nottingham & Union Rowing Club and have been rowing and sculling for almost 6 years. I am not shy of a challenge and in December 2006/January 2007 took part in a 112 mile trek to the South Pole in celebration of Shackleton's centenary year. I am a keen runner and love the outdoors.

Email Carolyn: carolyn@lefigarowteam.com

My previous achievements include Land's End to John O'Groats ride, London Marathon 2004, Great North Run 2004, '05 and '06, University Elite Athlete Squad '06-'07, and I was selected to participate in a team Ocean Row, S2 and university HORR pennants 2006. I want to do L2P to continue enjoying training for rowing in a new environment, and try rowing at sea with a view to rowing an ocean in the future.

Email Joe: joe@lefigarowteam.com

I took part (with Nic Tittle, fellow L2P 'Le Figarow' crew-member) in EUROW '92, a Metropolitan Police / City of London Police / London Fire Brigade relay row in a Montagu whaler circumnavigating Great Britain clockwise. Since then I have competed in London's Great River Race 6 times, and rowed the Thames from Lechlade to Teddington with the Skiff Club. I also train in a Veterans VIII at Molesey Boat Club. In 2006 in my 50th year I suffered a potentially fatal 'heart stop' and was fitted by St.Thomas' Hospital (where I was born) with a 'demand pacemaker'. I have made a complete recovery, returning within months to full public-order command duties in the police. I am raising money through this event for the British Heart Foundation.

Email Tom: tom@lefigarowteam.com

A keen cutter rower with six years on Thames Cutters, I have long wanted to push it to the limit for a period. I see the race as giving me the opportunity to do this both mentally and physically. I am also attracted to the opportunity of pushing my endurance to the limits. Of the row I am most looking forward to testing the cutter at sea while I am least looking forward to long hours on the Seine against the flow.

Email Ed: ed@lefigarowteam.com

I have very happy memories of rowing with the Met. Police team in 1990 so jumped at the chance of doing it again with Le Figarow. I would love to row the Channel which I haven't because of the shift system we used last time. It's also a great way to celebrate being 50. A member of Mortake, Anglian and Alpha Boat Club at Chiswick Bridge and the Met. Police Rowing Club Nick has been in boats since learning to row in 1976. Vivid rowing memories include Cambridge Ely Cambridge, the Services Trophy in the first Great River Race, into the Seine at Le Havre at night in a strong wind, Loch Ness, at night again, the Trireme on the Thames, several attempts to win something in the Great River Race by rowing the slowest boats to gain handicap advantage ["Don't do it!"]. Since joining Le Figarow in June I'm learning to skiff with Mary and Tom at Walbrook and have rowed with Langstone in a Clayton skiff so you never stop learning about boats. L2P has chosen a fine one in the Thames Waterman cutter which is a tribute to the skills of Mark Edwards at Richmond Bridge and an absolute joy, and privilege, to row.

Email Nick: nick@lefigarowteam.com

Dave is more often found racing rafts and canoes than indulging in traditional Thames cutter racing, but is helping us to make up the numbers for practices. Dave's reasons for helping us are simple enough. He says: "It is fun and I'll do anything on the river. I particularly like to row when you've got two boats out and you can stuff the other crew." He is precisely the kind of unsung hero who makes these ventures possible. Hillary had Sherpa Tenzing, Le Figarow has Dave. What else can you say about that?

I had only seen rowing on the TV whilst watching the Boat Race, but since my daughter Lucy got into rowing at university I have seen more and been involved supporting and watching Lucy. I had never been in a rowing boat until I met Le Figarow at Richmond for a gentle row to Hampton Court and back!!!!!!! I feel being involved is opening new horizons to me whilst supporting the team in achieving their goal.

Married to Chris, I had never rowed before helping out at the L2P team training. I have been involved in Dragon Boating for 5 years at league level, and also as a member of the GB senior ladies team, winning two gold medals at the European Championships in Prague in 2006. I also enjoy the long distance endurance rafting and mountain marathons. As I can't keep up with Chris on this challenge I have agreed to be on the support crew. I have supported him on other 24/36 hour endurance challenges and realise that getting the food right for the team will be a key factor in this race.