Australian rowers aim for world record

Canberra: A group of Australian rowers will attempt to row 8,500 km across the Indian Ocean and set a world record, a media report said Wednesday.

Policeman Tim Spiteri, 36, and his eight-man team will take off from Western Australia in the coming days and arrive in Durban, South Africa in less than 60 days, Xinhua reported. Each rower would man the oars for two hours followed by two hours of rest in a continuous shift cycle. In order to maintain the two hour rotations, Spiteri had to ensure that he and the team are fit, and were training for at least eight hours per day. In January 2013, Spiteri rowed the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Barbados - 5,000 km - in 35 days, 12 hours and 41 minutes non-stop.