Over the Christmas period last year, Olympic legend James Cracknell and TV star Ben Fogle took part in the Atlantic Rowing Race in order to raise money for Children In Need. 49 days 19 hours and 8 minutes after they set out they finally reached Antigua, finishing third overall and first in the two-person category. Their journey was documented in the TV series Through Hell and High Water, which has now been released on DVD. In Newsletter #142 we ran a competition where all you had to do to have a chance of winning a copy of the DVD was send in a question for either or both Ben and James, with ten of the questions that were drawn out of the hat winning the prize. Anyway; here's a selection of some of the questions and answers from James and Ben while the winners of the DVD were Matthew Wells, Des Hayes, Neil O'Malley, Alan Greig, Roger Bangay, Kimberley Naylor-Perrot, Lee Stampton, Rosanna Cousins, Chris Wright and Kai Hunter. If you missed out, the DVD is available from Amazon at the price of £11.47: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000FS9OKE/ -------------------------------Matthew Wells: What kept you going through the moments of uncertainty of the voyage?James: People waiting on the other side was a huge motivating factor, wanting to get off the bloody boat was high on the list but for me getting there first was the one constant motivation that never seemed to fade, no matter how much I tried to relax and enjoy the experience.Ben: The desire to complete the race, arrive in Antigua and be with my loved ones again.-------------------------------Louise: Having successfully completed and won the row across the Atlantic, do you have any plans for other challenges in the future? In other words, how do you top this?J: Having done the same sport for so long I had a glimpse of what it possible to do outside of a 2km course and I'd love to do another adventure. The good thing about the Atlantic Race is that once you push off it's up to you, there are no guidelines of where to go, no controls over how long each day you row as other adventure races have, so it probably wouldn't be another race but a long journey - on land this time.B: It will be very difficult to top rowing the Atlantic but I'm an adventurous person and there are many things I'd still like to do and achieve. I've just finished filming a new adventure series for the BBC called Extreme Dreams that took me to the Arctic, the Amazon, Africa and the Andes to name just a few places.-------------------------------Michael Swain, Bermuda Rowing Association: Did your elite flat-water technique help you significantly or is the open-water technique so different? What are the major adaptations needed to technique for ocean conditions? Did Ben cope equally well, given his lack of rowing experience? And when are you coming to Bermuda to help out our young Association?J: Knowing how to row helped, I didn't have to think about it however tired I was. It's obviously different as you spend hours at a time rowing with one arm to stay on course and the big waves out there would stop any rowing race on a lake - and have people running for cover!Getting the gearing right was important, we didn't and had to chop our oars down out there, but getting the position comfortable is the most important thing. Ben coped incredibly well. His only weakness was probably in the big waves when all your concentration has to be on the waves not thinking about how to row at the same time. It's all about confidence in those conditions and he didn't have 15 years of rowing under his belt.A week in Bermuda, where do I sign up!-------------------------------Des Hayes: Would you do it again of your own free will or would you need to be given an extra strong incentive?J: I wouldn't do the same course again, although having said that, once you're out of sight of land I imagine all oceans look fairly similar. But never say never, although I'd definitely make a few changes to the boat next time.B: I don't think I'd do it again, and no incentive could be strong enough to sway me! I am thrilled beyond words that I did it once though - it is my proudest achievement and I have no regrets-------------------------------Neil O'Malley: Was there a particular focal point that helped you through the hard times during the race, such as a memory or listening to music?J: Music and speaking books were great until the electrics broke when we capsized. I read and reread the letters I took with me from my parents and Bev. But rowing for hours at a time in total isolations allows you to think about things in a way that you don't get at home. Although it felt lonely at the time, looking back it was a luxury to have that time.B: All of the above helped at one stage or another. James' drive to win the race; my now fiancée Marina and the thought of being reunited with her; and a little bit of Robbie Williams…-------------------------------Alan Greig: What would your reaction be if your other half said that she was going to do it?J: I've got a boat she can use.B: She was very understanding about my participation and I would be the same for her. But I don't think I'd recommend it…I'd suggest sailing instead – much more fun!-------------------------------Alan Greig: Has it made you think about taking on any other extreme endurance events?J: Definitely. I miss pushing my body on a daily basis although I don't miss rowing as I did it for so long. I need to find an outlet for my energy.B: I've already done the Marathon des Sables a 160 mile 6 day endurance race across the Sahara and taken part in the Safaricom Marathon in Kenya. Not forgetting my charity boxing match against actor Sid Owen (which I won!) so I've always liked pushing myself to the limits to see what I can achieve. -------------------------------Roger Bangay: What was the estimated average daily calorie consumption of each rower?J: We estimated about 8-10,000 a day and took that much food but still lost a lot of weight so maybe more. Our preparation wasn't that scientific.B: It's recommended that you eat 10,000 calories a day and James and I managed about 6000. We cut back because of weight. -------------------------------Roger Bangay: How many hours did each rower row in every 24-hour period?B: 12 hours in every 24, rowing two-hour shifts at a time.-------------------------------Lee Stampton: We have entered the 2007 Woodvale Atlantic Challenge in the two man race and we are currently busy sorting out fundraising for the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity and hope to raise £150,000.What we would like to know is what approaches did you use to raise funds for the attempt? What training did you do before the event to prepare yourself for the mental challenge of 40 odd days in the boat?J: Keep asking and don't take no for an answer. The best bet is a company where the chief executive is into rowing. As for mental preparation, we didn't do much as we spent so much time just getting the boat ready in time. I'd recommend some practice.B: We publicised that we were rowing for Children in Need and invited people to sponsor us and we also sought some corporate donations. Letting as many people and companies as possible know that you are doing it is the key. -------------------------------Wayne Donnelly: How did you two maintain your focus? Rowing 40 plus days must be mentally exhausting. What preparation did you do mentally and what daily regime did you do to keep mentally sharp and not pull each other apart physically or verbally?J: I concentrated on the race most of the time, if I was going through all this effort I wanted to get there first and just getting there and off that boat! I had a lot to get back to and wanted to get there in one piece.We knew we were going to row 2 hours on 2 hours off and regardless and having that platform meant we could break the day down and clock up miles every shift. As for pulling each other apart we just trusted the other one to do his best and that is all we could ask of each other.B: It's difficult to do anything to do anything BUT focus when you are in the middle of the Atlantic on a 20-foot boat! Physically I trained for four hours each day on an Indoor Rower and took it with me everywhere – even in Africa! It is much more difficult to train yourself mentally. You have no idea what it is going to be like until you're in the situation and you cannot possibly replicate it.-------------------------------Xeno Muller: During your row across the Atlantic, there were many times that I thought of you guys. I especially thought of you when I was all cozy at home and imagining what you guys were going through out there in the weather.What are three events during your race that you will never forget?J: The first night, I couldn't believe what I'd let myself in for. Nearly hitting a tanker and capsizing. A good thing was the sunsets; every one was amazing and it meant we'd ticked another day off.B: Capsizing; Rufus the whale who followed us for six weeks, and arriving in Antigua at the finish line are all memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. -------------------------------Kimberley Naylor-Perrott: Having been in competitive sport since I was a child, I have seen people deal (and not deal) with pre-race nerves in very different waves. It was particularly noticeable at the World IRC in Boston this year, seeing the relative novices right through to prospective World Champions tackling the negative chatterbox before the race. How badly did you suffer with them before a big race and did you have a set formulae for staying in control e.g. repeating positive sayings or a particular piece of music to help you deal with them?J: Yeah I suffered with nerves but knew they made me perform better, if I didn't feel nervous I would have been really worried. You've got to use them to increase your performance and get your body to do what it doesn't really want to do.-------------------------------Peter Thatcher: Is there any chance you'd compete in the next Olympics, or maybe London in2012J: No, I'm looking forward to watching them.-------------------------------Jenny Lewis: Has there been any lasting changes or scars, either physical or mental from doing the race?B: No mental or physical scars but lots and lots of memories and I've now got a fiancée too – and a new best friend!-------------------------------Elliot Meadwell: What was the one thing apart from your family that you missed when you were out there? And what was the first thing you did when you got back to England?B: I really missed a comfy bed - we had just a sticky plastic mattress for almost two months. I caught up with all my friends – and ate and drank!