Charity, Sport | Posted on July 23rd, 2026 | return to news

Dorset air ambulance doctor sets world record for rowing

A team including Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance clinician Felix Wood rowed more than 2,000 miles around the coastline of Great Britain.

A flying doctor has added a Guiness World Record for rowing to his list of achievements.

Felix Wood is an RAF emergency medicine doctor and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) clinician. This month, he and a team of rowers have set a world record after completing one of the world’s toughest rowing challenges, while raising vital funds for charity.

Team ROWMADS rowed more than 2,000 miles around the coastline of Great Britain as part of the 2026 GB Row Challenge.

The five-person crew set oﬀ from Tower Bridge on 14 June 2026 and completed the non-stop, unsupported challenge in 32 days, 30 minutes and 58 seconds, becoming the fastest five-person crew to row around Great Britain.

Each member of the team was raising money for a different charity. Wood chose to raise funds for DSAA, the life-saving charity which provides pre-hospital critical care to patients in need.

So far, Team ROWMADS has raised over £8,000. There is still time to donate via: https://givewheel.com/fundraising/8989/rowmads-gb-row-challenge/.

The challenge also served an important scientific purpose. Team ROWMADS collected data on water temperature, water quality and pollution, while supporting research into physiological adaptation, sleep and small-team dynamics.

Wood said: “After 32 days at sea, we were the third fastest crew ever to row round Great Britain unsupported and we’ve also taken home a Guinness world record for the fastest five-person crew.

“In addition, we collected over 100 samples to test for microplastics and environmental DNA, as well as 750 hours of hydrophone recordings to be analysed for marine mammals. We’ve also collected blood tests, saliva samples, interviews and performed exercise testing and bone scans to see the eﬀect this trip has had on our bodies and minds.

“My personal highlight was a close encounter with an orca in the far north of Scotland, and the low point has to be our soaking wet cabin during a storm in the Irish Sea.

“Throughout, the thought that we were raising money for worthwhile causes close to each of our hearts kept us pushing on through the tough times. Just like at DSAA, we were only able to complete the mission due to strong teamwork and pulling together to a common goal.

“Knowing that my DSAA colleagues were following our progress on the GPS tracker also provided a little extra motivation!”

Charlotte Humber, supporter engagement oﬃcer at DSAA, said: “We are so proud of Felix and Team ROWMADS for completi ng such a demanding challenge and setting a new world record in the process. It means a great deal that Felix has chosen to support Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance in this way, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has donated so far. Their incredible commitment has helped shine a spotlight on the vital work we do, and we hope their achievement will inspire even more people to support our lifesaving service.”