10th October 2022
Rowed, sailed and windsurfed - the Running Out of Time relay baton crosses Channel from UK to France
Drone footage available
10 October 2022, Dover: On Sunday 9 October, logistics and emotions were taken to a new level for the organisers of the Running Out of Time relay as the baton made an adventurous fossil-fuel-free journey carried by rowers, sailors and a windsurfer across the world’s busiest shipping lane, the Dover Strait, from England to France.
The baton left the shores of England after a 10 day 1,676km journey through Scotland, Wales and England carried by runners and cyclists
“This was one of the most challenging moments of the relay because it involved so many fast moving parts in a completely uncontrollable environment! Knowing that we only had one shot to get it right really ramped up the pressure - but in an amazing display of grit, hard-work, togetherness, we did it!” says Hetty Key, Operations Director, Running Out of Time relay.
Folkestone Rowing Club took up the challenge of getting the baton from the shore to an at-sea handover with Vendée Globe sailor Conrad Colman.
Rowed by Maddie Plested, with operational support from Zoe Mond and Lesley Woodsford, Maddie defied the wind and waves to reach Conrad and his crew - Pam Lee and Natasha González - onboard ocean racing sailboat IMAGINE, his boat for the upcoming solo ocean race Route du Rhum (Nov 6th).
“At one point the waves started engulfing my boat so I started bailing out with my hands, but that wasn’t enough so I started bailing out with my shoe … I got the baton into the bag, threw it out, rowed away as quickly as possible, the sailboat picked it up and went on their way! ” said rower Maddie Plested.
Picture credit @natasha_multimedia
The baton crossed the world’s busiest shipping lane, the Dover Strait, under sail on board IMAGINE. The shipping industry is responsible for at least 2.5% of the world's total CO2 emissions so it made for an evocative symbol to use maritime transport via sails and human power.
“It’s a little bit crazy - I love that about my part of this adventure and the Running Out of Time relay … I believe really strongly in international cooperation and I think it’s so important to follow through on all the commitments made in the last Conference of Parties - this relay helps to draw a line between COP26 and COP27 and it’s only when you build from one year to the next you really see progress” says skipper Conrad Colman who, in 2017, was the first to complete a Vendée Globe without fossil fuels.
Once across the strait, the crew had an at-sea rendezvous with elite competitive windsurfer Charline Lemaitre, 14, from Bateau Ecole, who collected the baton in its waterproof bag from the sailboat and surfed it to Calais, France where it will continue on it’s journey to COP27.
Running Out of Time is a record-breaking 7,767km journey through 18 countries to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27 in order to deliver a climate message from young people to world leaders. The 40 day mass-participation relay mission from Glasgow to Sharm-El-Sheikh is the longest non-stop relay ever attempted.
The route includes Scotland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt - arriving to Sharm el-Sheikh on November 8th 2022 in time for COP27 which will take place from 6th-18th November 2022.
See the whole route here.
Runners and cyclists carry the baton in 5-10km stages of the route which crosses seas, mountain ranges, glaciers, and deserts, villages, towns and capital cities. It will visit hundreds of schools, at-risk locations and climate change projects to inspire and champion local climate action. At the same time, runners will be fundraising for the Foundation for Environmental Education and Carbon Copy.
People around the world who are unable to run a stage on the physical route won’t miss out. They’re invited to pass the baton during a Global Virtual Relay on November 5th 2022.
Running Out of Time is organised by The World Relay ltd and made possible thanks to the collaborative effort of a great many partners and supporters.
Register to take part: www.running-out-of-time.com
– ENDS –
Running Out of Time media contact: Larissa Clark [email protected] +47 46852672
Press Pack including releases, images & B-roll: available via LINK (we have a LOT of amazing photos and video including drone footage of the crossing).
WEBSITE: www.running-out-of-time.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram @climaterelay | Facebook @climaterelay | Twitter @climate_relay
ROUTE MAP with timings and location pins: https://running-out-of-time.com/route/
TRACK THE BATON: https://running-out-of-time.com/map
KEY DATES
10th October - 10th October France
Stages 178 - 183 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/france/
10th October - 11th October Belgium
Stages 184 - 210 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/belgium/
11th October - 13th October Netherlands
Stages 211 - 252 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/netherlands/
13th October - 16th October Germany
Stages 253 - 344 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/germany/
16th October - 17th October Austria
Stages 345 -358 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/austria/
17th October - 18th October Italy
Stages 359 - 404 ` Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/italy/
18th October - 19th October Slovenia
Stages 405 - 427 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/slovenia/
19th October - 20th October Croatia
Stages 428 - 461 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/croatia/
20th October - 22nd October Bosnia & Herzegovina
Stages 462 - 504 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
22nd October - 22nd October Montenegro
Stages 505 - 518 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/montenegro/
22nd October - 24th October Albania
Stages 519 - 557 Detailed Route -https://running-out-of-time.com/route/albania/
24th October - 27th October Greece
Stages 558 - 629 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/greece/
27th October - 31st October BOAT Athens, Greece to Paphos, Cyprus
31st October - 31st October Cyprus
Stages 630 - 645 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/cyprus/
31st October - 1st November BOAT Larnaca, Cyprus to Haifa, Israel
1st November - 4th November Israel
Stages 646 - 699 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/israel/
3rd November 2022 Schools Action Day
4th November - 8th November Egypt
Stages 700 - 726 Detailed Route - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/egypt/
5th November 2022 Global Virtual Relay
Details - https://running-out-of-time.com/route/0
6th-18th November 202 COP27: Sharm El Sheikh - Date & details to follow.
Side event hosted by FEE in partnership with UNESCO, OCE and others.
RELAY PARTNERS: https://running-out-of-time.com/partners including sponsorship from Ecotricity, Britain's greenest energy supplier.
The Channel Baton Crossing - special thanks to:
- Hetty Key - Operations Director Running Out of Time
- Another World Adventures - expertise partner for Running Out of Time for facilitation and water logistics advice and support
- Folkestone Rowing Club - Maddie Plested, with operational support from Zoe Mond and Lesley Woodsford
- Conrad Colman + crew Pam Lee and Natasha González
- Bateau Ecole + Charline Lemaitre