AFTER one of the most gruelling endurance challenges on the planet, Atlantic rower Lloyd Figgins is back home in Didcot.

During his Atlantic crossing of 3,200 nautical miles, Mr Figgins and rowing partner David Whiddon had to tackle treacherous storms, seven-metre waves, a crack in the boat’s hull, three near-collisions with tankers, visits from curious sharks, and hallucinations brought on by sleep deprivation.

Last Saturday the duo become the first pair of modern-day independent rowers to row non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean, from Agadir, Morocco, to Port St Charles, Barbados.

They embarked on their incredible journey to raise £24,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Mr Figgins, 44, who lives in Buckingham Close with wife Nicky, arrived home yesterday morning.

The global head of field safety at Oxford-based charity Earthwatch said: “It has been a remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“The challenge has been incredibly tough at times, but thoroughly rewarding. We have been fortunate that many people have given up their time to help us prepare for this crossing and we can’t thank them enough.

“We have dedicated this row to all the RNLI’s lifeboat volunteers and crew past and present.”

The duo are the 20th pair to have rowed across the Atlantic east to west as part of an independent challenge.

They completed the crossing in 60 days and 17 hours after building up rowing and stamina training at Bournemouth University’s Academy of Peformance Coaching.

When Mr Figgins started the crossing he weighed 14 stone 12lb and by the end of the voyage he was 12 stone 7lb.

He and his rowing partner burned 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day and survived on a diet of porridge, high-energy snacks, instant soup, crackers and cheese spread, rehydrated meals and energy-boosting drinks.

Mr Figgins’ dad, Phil, 72, from Clanfield, West Oxfordshire, said: “Lloyd was so tired when he got home that he went straight to bed.

“But I have got the champagne on ice and we will enjoy it this weekend.”

As well as raising funds for the RNLI, the rowers collected data for Earthwatch about the marine wildlife they encountered.

They were rewarded with awe-inspiring moments – a sighting of 10 rare pygmy killer whales, being surrounded by a pod of up to 150 dolphins for several hours, and being trailed by a three-metre thresher shark.

Earthwatch spokesman Nigel Winser said: “We are all extremely proud of what Lloyd and David have accomplished.”

Throughout their journey, the rowers worked on a two-hour on/ two-hour off rowing shift pattern.

Neither of the rowers slept for more than an hour-and-a-half at a time for the duration of the challenge.

Mr Whiddon, 39, is from Poole, Dorset, and works as a trainer for the RNLI.

* For further information visit atlanticcalling.com