Making History: Youngest Trio of Rowers Cross the Atlantic

By Katie Lane

On December 14th, 2025 at 11:38am, Rowan Dally (21), Anna Dunk (19) and Harry Allen (20), otherwise known as the The Three Flying Fish, departed from the Marina at La Gomera in the Canary Islands for the greatest challenge of their individual lives: The World’s Toughest Row. 42 days, 8 hours and 10 minutes later, they are now world record holders as the youngest team to ever row any ocean.

Participating crews in The World’s Toughest Row rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in one of four categories: solo, pair, trio, or four. The Three Flying Fish were one of 43 boats racing in the World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic 2025.

Inspired by Anna’s father, 2021 World’s Toughest Row Competitor Davie Dunk, The Three Flying Fish begin campaigning for a journey of their own in 2022.

“Our mission is to push the limits of human endurance, resilience and teamwork,” the team states on www.thethreeflyingfish.com. “We are committed to inspiring others by taking on the World’s Toughest Row, whilst breaking a record along the way.”

The Three Flying Fish chose the Teenage Cancer Trust as their community partner, raising awareness and funds, helping offset the costs of specialist nursing care for patients aged 13-24 years old.

“As three young people, we know how lucky we are to be in this situation and be able to do the row. We understand that there are so many children out there who would not be able to do this, due to factors out of their control. We aren’t doing the row because we can, we are doing it because they can’t.”

In the The World’s Toughest Row, each team rows on average 1.5 million strokes during a race. Anna Dunk noted that the physical challenge of rowing across the Atlantic is “so tough, two hours on followed by two hours off, for 45-plus days,” but finds that “the mental side is ten times tougher.”

“Dealing with sleep deprivation, anxiety, and homesickness was the toughest part of the crossing for me,” said Anna Dunk. “The feeling of isolation is immense, and being on a 10 meter boat with two of the same people day in and day out, it’s a recipe for disaster.”

All that’s to say, The Three Flying Fish said being out in nature, spending time with friends, and overall embracing the simplicity of life were what they all looked forward to in the experience. They saw dolphins on Harry’s 20th birthday, flying fish, countless sunrises and sunsets, and even a white-tailed Tropicbird, a bird only found in regions of the Caribbean.

“I only have to eat, sleep and row,” Rowan Dally said. “Not having to send an email, attend a zoom call, or go on social media was a very freeing experience.”

If this journey has taught the Three Flying Fish anything, it’s the importance of teamwork. Whether it’s navigating open waters, securing sponsorships, or managing basic communication, the three learned to rely on each other as they strive towards a common goal.

“More than anything, I hope they come away with a lasting belief in their own capabilities and a deeper understanding of teamwork, perseverance, and humility,” Craig Allen, father of Harry Allen, stated.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that being a team is extremely stressful, especially working in such close proximity to each other,” Harry Allen said. “I learned that I can achieve anything and to never say something is impossible again… rather that I’m possible instead!”

The Three Flying Fish arrived at Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua on January 20th, 2026, marking the end of their journey across the Atlantic. Officially, the trio finished 20th overall (43 entries), 4th in the trio (six entries), and 3rd in the mixed class (six entries). To date, they have successfully raised over 40,000 pounds ($55,000) for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

When asked how it feels to be a world record holder, Anna, Rowan and Harry all agreed that “it hasn’t sunk in yet.” The trio also said that they would “absolutely do something like this again”.

“I hope that when other people see what we have achieved, it will inspire them to push their own boundaries just like we’ve pushed ours,” said Rowan.

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