Sark to Jersey veteran has special reason to reach Bonne Nuit

Friday 15 July 2016

'Get me to the church on time,' has a different meaning for rowing stalwart, Ian Blandin.

For a self-confessed salty sea dog, Mr Blandin is in a rush tomorrow to get to a wedding, only his excuse is a pretty novel one……he’s rowing from Sark to Jersey.

Mr Blandin will be in one of around 65 teams taking part in the Willis Towers Watson 50th Sark to Jersey race. 

The postponement of the race from a fortnight ago due to poor weather has played havoc with Mr Blandin’s social diary. 

“Two friends of mine Nick Mourant and his fiancée Emma are getting married so I have an extra reason for trying to finish the row quickly,” said Mr Blandin. “I’ll do the row, get out of the boat, dash to drop it off, dash to the hotel in St Brelade, have a quick shower so I don’t pong the place out, then get to the wedding. Thankfully, they are both very understanding.”

For the 54-year-old engineer, life at sea is, well, a way of life. 

His greatest claim to fame is that he once broke a Guinness world record for rowing from London to Paris in 96 hours and he also completed a gruelling 58-day row across the Atlantic. 

“I started when I was a kid really, as every weekend my mum and dad took me down to Gorey and I messed around as a kid in the water. It grew and grew from there. 

“I just love being at sea and yes, I suppose you could say I’m a salty sea dog. It’s in my blood.”

Mr Blandin has completed over 20 Sark to Jersey races and is also the head of the Jersey Rowing Club’s Youth Academy, teaching youngsters all about life on the waves. 

“And very enjoyable it is too,” he said. “I love educating kids and seeing the way they light up, just as I did when I was a young lad.”

Mr Blandin is hoping to get in the top ten this weekend - “anything around two hours is what I’m aiming for”- in his two-man boat alongside his rowing partner Derik ‘Dangerous’ Mare. 

“Derik is as fit as a fiddle and he is also a dentist, so if I get toothache halfway across I’m in good hands,” he said. 

“We’re pretty competitive still, but I’m 54 so there are younger and fitter lads out there.”

Back in 1997 though it was a different matter as he entered the first transatlantic international rowing race. Mr Blandin and his partner Rob Cassin custom-built their own boat and were one of the favourites to win, but halfway across they hit a force eight gale, which lost them plenty of time.

“We caught this horrendous storm, which meant on one day we rowed only four miles but went backwards eight miles, meaning we still went back a total of four miles! Terrible. The waves were enormous, the swells alone were five metres and yes, it was tough. Scared? No, I wasn’t scared, but it was gruelling. 

“That Atlantic race took us 58 days from Tenerife to Barbados and when we arrived I’d gone from 13 and a half stone to nine and a half stone. I started with a 34 inch waist and ended with 28! 

“We finished fourth out of 30 boats who started and 26 who completed the race, which wasn’t bad at all.”

So would Mr Blandin do it again?

“I would never say never, but I’ve sort of done it, so maybe not the Atlantic again. I wouldn’t mind rowing down the Yukon maybe, or some other challenge. The training is very tough and yet I have definitely got the bug. Let’s just say if I can get permission off the wife I would certainly consider it.”

The Sark to Jersey race is a regular in Mr Blandin’s calendar and thankfully the weather prospects look favourable. 

“It was a terrible shame it got postponed, but it was the right decision. I think this weekend promises to be very special as it is the 50th anniversary, but I am in a rush to get to the wedding.”

As excuses go for being late to a wedding, it’s not a bad one.