Leven Brown’s glass is half full. He comes across as the optimistic type. If the majority believe something is impossible, Brown is the kind of person who will give it a try.

He shares an example: Scotland versus New Zealand at Murrayfield last month. Brown got frustrated watching the game, the commentators were conceding to defeat before the game kicked off, there was a belief that if Scotland stayed within 20 points of the All Black’s then it should be considered a victory. Brown disagreed, “It was fifteen men against fifteen men,” he said.

This positive attitude - something Brown sees as playing a crucial role in becoming a winner - is absolutely critical in his sport. Not only does it require immense mental and physical fitness, the ultra-endurance sport of ocean rowing is a test of focus, leadership and determination.

In The Winning Zone caught up with the 36-year-old as he took a well earned break from assisting with the re-construction of his ocean rowing boat, Artemis Ocean Rowing 1.

“I can usually be found below the decks with a cable in my teeth and a pair of pliers in my hands!” He laughed.

Brown was born and raised in the Scottish Borders. Living on a small farm outside Selkirk, him and his brother were given free reign to explore the surroundings. “We were always scarpering away into the forests, building shelters and getting up to all kinds of mischief.”

Although he played rugby and enjoyed cross country running whilst at school, it was on a specialist course when he was 15 that he realized his true sporting passion. He attended John Ridgeway’s adventure school and heard about ocean rowing.

“All the people who were doing it were ex-forces or ex-SAS types. I wondered if a ‘normal’ person could do such a thing,” he recalled.

After gaining his education, Brown entered the finance world as a stockbroker in Edinburgh. After several years in the job, he realised that he wanted to achieve his dream and take up ocean rowing.

In striving to reach his desired target, he took a number of risks, something which he believes to be imperative to becoming a success. Perhaps his greatest risk was his decision to leave his job, sell his house and all his possessions to pay for an ocean rowing boat and establish his career on the water.

“I suppose that was a risk to take but I was determined it was going to happen. Every penny I had was getting poured into the boat.”

“We’re taught these days not to take risks, not to climb the ladder without the hardhat and knee-pads and the safety harness. The risk averse culture that we have is definitely stifling the creative flavour of the human spirit. If we listen to the health and safety officers all the time then we will never leave our houses.”

In 2005, Brown’s dream became reality. He embarked on his first ocean row, an unsupported journey from Cadiz in Spain to Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. Brown was the first rower to successfully conquer the Bay of Cadiz, a notoriously rough 125 mile stretch, which Brown rowed through in a gruelling 25 days. 

During the start of his voyage, the Scot faced technical difficulties, with his on-board water making device failing him on two separate occasions. However, that was only the beginning of his problems.

When questioned on the hardest days of his solo voyage, Brown recalls his experiences in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when Tropical Storm Delta hit. “It was incredible, the sound was like sleeping next to a tornado jet,” he recalled.

“There was a constant racket outside with the occasional thunderclap as a big wave swept over the little boat.”

“I couldn’t see the top of the wave that hit me, it was the most enormous wave I’ve ever seen and I wouldn’t even speculate on its height but we went up for a long, long way.”

His positive attitude shines through when recounting his reaction to the threatening weather. “It’s amazing the positive things that come out of that, I just went and bailed out the boat as best I could and she sat up in the water and she was fine.”

After his solo voyage, Brown turned his focus to a team environment. Late last year, Brown skippered a 14-strong crew between Gran Canaria and Barbados. In 33 days and 7 hours, the crew overcame similar weather difficulties as Brown had experienced in his first row, to break the 3000 mile Atlantic rowing record, which had been standing for 16 years.

He is however determined to better himself and challenge himself even further. At the end of this month, Brown will lead his crew on the same route he conquered earlier this year. As skipper, he is determined to beat his own record and ensure that, as a leader, everyone reaches their potential. “Success in anything is more to do with what you can give than what you can take and leading by example is a massive part of that,” he commented.

Brown has already begun planning an attempt at breaking the 112 year record of 55 days for the North Atlantic Ocean in June next year. He will lead a crew of 14 ultra-endurance athletes across the most treacherous crossing in the Atlantic.

Joining him on the journey will be fellow Scot, Mark Beaumont, the record breaking round-the-world cyclist. Alongside Brown, Beaumont is relishing the experience and challenge of beating another world record.

“It will be fascinating and tough and I’m really looking forward to it.” Beaumont told In The Winning Zone, “it will be incredibly intense; you’re two hours on, two hours off repeat for 40 or 50 days. You never sleep for more than an hour; you’re rowing for 12 hours a day, day and night.”

For now though, Brown is focused on the task in hand. He is preparing to give it his all and beat his own Atlantic record, to continue improving and strive to be the best.

“It doesn’t matter what happens next month or next year, what matters is now. Races are won and lost in a nanosecond and every time you’re sitting there hurting at the oars, you know that you’re competition is hurting just as bad and you have to make sure its them that folds first, not you.”

When questioned on his ultimate goal, Brown’s sense of humour shines through “A solo, unsupported mission to Mars,” he laughed, “I don’t know, the sky’s the limit. I’ve often thought about getting involved in the sailing world, we’ve got plans to build a faster ocean rowing boat.”

Whatever the case, if Brown continues to demonstrate the focus and determination he has shown so far in his sporting career, he will reach whatever targets he sets. Just don’t be too surprised if you hear about a Scot undertaking a solo mission to mars in the future!

IC
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