Row Hard No Excuses

In the fall of 2001, John Zeigler and Tom Mailhot set out to win "the world's toughest race": 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat. As a sport, ocean rowing is less than 10-years old — fewer people have rowed across the Atlantic than have climbed Everest — but the 2001 race still drew 36 teams willing to risk the isolation, seasickness, cramped conditions and treacherous weather for the glory of the crossing. Zeigler and Mailhot, the only US team in the race and at 51 and 41 among the oldest competitors, entered the race with high hopes of winning. But the grueling crossing is easy to underestimate, and their quest offered one major obstacle after another. With a camera in nearly every boat, director Wolbach pieces together the story of the race — its tragedies and triumphs — and assembles a portrait of perseverance in the most extreme circumstances. (DW)