PEOPLE from Herefordshire will, this weekend, be among a 50-strong squad trying to secure a place on two epic rowing challenges.

Record-breaking adventurer Leven Brown will be putting the squad through their paces at Lowestoft on Saturday.

The rowers will be trying out for a total of 20 places for an Atlantic Ocean Expedition and a North Atlantic Ocean Expedition.

Brown skippered the 14-man La Mondiale crew which shattered the world record in January for rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.

The La Mondiale crew achieved the Atlantic crossing in a record time of 33 days, seven hours and 30 minutes.

Brown, who lives in Staunton-on-Wye, is planning the second Atlantic Ocean Expedition in December.

He said: “The squad is now assembled and we are just about to undertake the selection process.

“Out of 50 people that will attend the selection, only 10 will make it through per squad. I am confident that the lads from Hereford will do well.”

“For the first challenge - this December - the water in the Caribbean is looking warm which means more hurricanes. Hopefully, we will avoid them by our late departure date of December 31. It will certainly be a New Year to be remembered.”

The North Atlantic Ocean Expedition is pencilled in for June 2009 and Brown and his crew will be looking to cross the North Atlantic in fewer than 55 days.