AN IRISHMAN IS on the verge of winning the World’s Toughest Row – a 4,800km journey across the Atlantic.

Forty-two-year-old Daragh MacLoughlin began the journey from La Gomera in the Canaries on 12 December, and is looking set to reach the finish line in Antigua by Friday. On Sunday, he was 80 nautical miles ahead of his nearest rival.

The Galway businessman appears set to take the top spot in the solo category.

MacLoughlin is undertaking the race in support of two Irish charities, Debra and Irish Dogs for the Disabled.

Debra supports those living with skin disease EB, also known as butterfly skin. 

With a target of €10,000 set, over €15,000 has been raised for the charities.

MacLoughlin began training for the race two and a half years ago with no previous rowing experience. He is undertaking the race on his carbon-fibre boat The Jasper, named after a family dog.

Ocean rower Daragh MacLoughlin, 42, is set to reach Antigua on Friday, following a mammoth 4,800km solo Atlantic crossing. World's Toughest Row. World's Toughest Row.

Speaking from his boat, the Clarinbridge man said Sunday, “There was a huge mountain to climb, in the first few days, it dawned on me that I had another month plus to do, and that was hard.”

“But now the tables have turned and I have less than a week to go.

“I’ve had the lows of terrible weather, but in terms of leading the solos, I trained with a view to making sure I was going to win.

“The biggest challenge has been an eight-nine day period of no wind.

“It meant that progress was frustrated largely, my mileage went from 75 miles a day down to 50.”

He said one of the best parts of the experience so far was being trailed by a pod of dolphins as the seas turned rough.

“Two waves from different directions were joining and they were just colliding and going upwards and there was a real risk of them breaking, going over the boat and capsizing me.

“In that moment, about 200 dolphins emerged from the water, as if I had called them, and swam under my boat, they spiralled, looked up at me and went up the waves, just underneath the water line, reached the top of the wave, turned round, came back down underneath my boat, spiralled and did this several times.

“It was as if to show me that it was alright, these waves could be surfed and there was no need to have any fear.”

MacLoughlin has spoken daily to his wife Suzanne and their two daughters Maeve and Saoirse via satellite phone throughout the race, and says he looks forward to reuniting with them once he completes the challenge.