The Crown Estate joins GB Row Challenge as lead environmental data partner

The Crown Estate has partnered with GB Row Challenge, the endurance rowing race which collects vital scientific data on the health of UK coastal waters.

GB Row Challenge, described as ‘the world’s toughest rowing race’, sees teams of rowers circumnavigate the entire coast of Great Britain, unsupported, over 2,000 miles of demanding waters.

Every participating boat is fitted with scientific equipment that collects environmental data, contributing to national research on ocean health.

Rowers gather data on microplastic pollution, biodiversity, underwater noise pollution, sea temperature and salinity, which will be hosted on The Crown Estate’s Marine Data Exchange, one of the world’s largest collections of marine industry data.

Coastal Odyssey row towards Tower Bridge after successfully circumnavigating Great Britain.

This data will contribute to ongoing research efforts aimed at understanding the impacts of human activity on marine ecosystems and informing strategies for conservation and sustainability.

GB Row Challenge founder, William de Laszlo, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome The Crown Estate as our lead environmental data partner. We share a deep commitment to marine conservation and to making our data openly available for scientists around the world. It’s incredibly exciting to have them alongside us as we turn human endurance into meaningful ocean insight.”

The Challenge is considered the world’s toughest rowing race as teams have to row continuously and unassisted while navigating complex tidal streams, shipping lanes and volatile weather.

Data from previous races will also be hosted on the Marine Data Exchange, so it is available for wider scientific evaluation.

The Crown Estate plays a major role in the UK’s world leading offshore wind sector.

This data was collected by teams who have rowed around Great Britain since 2022 and was made possible thanks to the unique partnership between GB Row Challenge and the University of Portsmouth – lead science partner responsible for analysing the data.

Chelsea Bradbury, Senior Marine Data and Insights Manager at The Crown Estate, said: “The GB Row challenge is an important initiative providing invaluable insights about the marine environment around Great Britain and we’re proud to support it again in 2026.

“By hosting the data collected on the Marine Data Exchange, it will be openly accessible to scientists, industries and the public to enable informed decision making. This is an important element of The Crown Estate’s Nature Recovery Ambition and will contribute to a better understanding of how we can protect and restore our precious marine environment.”

Two teams are busy preparing to take on the GB Row Challenge in 2026, which starts at Tower Bridge, London, on Sunday 14 June.