HE suffers from seasickness, and only took up rowing in winter.

But Steve Paterson is about to take part in a gruelling 2,000- mile boat race.

Tomorrow the 28-year-old from Oxford will set off as part of GB Row 2013, which aims to loop the entire British mainland.

Six teams are competing for a £100,000 jackpot, which organisers claim is the richest prize ever offered in rowing anywhere on the planet.

And despite the unfortunate affliction, as a sports scientist at Oxford Brookes Mr Paterson’s perfectly placed to find a solution.

He said: “It’s pretty bad. Every time I’ve been training I’ve got in a boat and then vomited.

“I’ve got a ‘watch’ which sends electric signals, small shocks, to the brain, which convinces it that you are steady.

“I’ve also been researching old-fashioned remedies as well; ginger is supposedly great.

“I think that after two or so days in the boat I will be fine.

“Looking at crews the record is in 26 days, and another team took 56 days, so it could be anything in between that or either side. We are going for the record though.”

Throughout the challenge Mr Paterson will have to take on about 4,500 calories – the equivalent of 17-and-a-half cheeseburgers per day.

The race is unaided, and the crews will face some of the world’s most dangerous and fast-turning tides.

They will also have to dodge car ferries, industrial fishing trawlers and private yachts.

Another factor will be the unpredictable British weather.

Mr Paterson, who is used to long-distances as an ultra-marathon runner, said he will not think about the possible distractions.

He said: “I’ve run long distances, usually between 50 and 80 miles across the Alps in France, Italy and Switzerland.

“We’ve got rations to last us 40 days, even though we’ll be burning off more than we take on.

“Making the switch to rowing, seasickness aside, wasn’t that hard.

“I saw an ad about the team needing a member after another had pulled out and went for it.”

Six crews of men and women in rowing boats plus a team in a pedalo will race the distance from and back to Tower Bridge to try and set a new world record.

Mr Paterson is rowing alongside three other people as part of team Pure Gym.

The first crew to beat the record of 26 days, 21 hours and 14 minutes will win a £100,000 bonus.

Each boat is fitted with a tracker which logs the crew’s position throughout the race.

Follow the race online at gbrowchallenge.com or download the free race app and monitor Mr Paterson’s progress minute by minute.