An emergency medicine doctor with Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has helped set a Guinness World Record after completing a 2,000‑mile row around the coast of Great Britain
Felix Wood, an RAF doctor with the charity, was part of Team ROWMADS, a five-person crew that took on the 2026 GB Row Challenge to raise funds for the service that cares for patients across Somerset and Dorset
The crew set off from Tower Bridge on 14 June and spent 32 days, 30 minutes and 58 seconds at sea, rowing non-stop and unsupported around the entire British coastline
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Their time has earned them a Guinness World Record as the fastest five-person crew ever to row around Great Britain, and makes them the third-fastest crew overall to complete the route unsupported
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Felix Wood is an emergency clinician with the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and trained in Yeovilton. (Image: Claire Baker)
Felix was previously based in Yeovilton for a year between February 2025 and 2026 while working full time for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance as a trainee doctor, and has since qualified and works for the rescue charity part-time.
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Throughout the voyage, Felix was fundraising for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, describing the charity as close to his heart after working alongside its critical care team treating patients from across the county
Felix said: “My personal highlight was a close encounter with an orca in the far north of Scotland and the low point has to be our soaking wet cabin during a storm in the Irish Sea.”
“Throughout, the thought that we were raising money for worthwhile causes close to each of our hearts kept us pushing on through the tough times. Just like at DSAA we were only able to complete the mission due to strong teamwork and pulling together to a common goal.”
He added that knowing colleagues at Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance were tracking the boat’s progress
The rowers during the epic month-long voyage at sea. (Image: Felix Wood)
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The charity’s crews respond to incidents across Somerset and Dorset, delivering pre-hospital critical care to patients in remote locations, on roadsides, parks and beaches
As well as an extreme physical and mental test, team ROWMADS collected data on water temperature, water quality and pollution. They also supported research into physiological adaptation, sleep and small-team dynamics during prolonged exposure to harsh marine conditions
Felix said the crew gathered more than 100 samples to test for microplastics and environmental DNA, along with 750 hours of hydrophone recordings to be analysed for marine mammals
He added: “We’ve also collected blood tests, saliva samples, interviews and performed exercise testing and bone scans to examine the effect this trip has had on our bodies and minds.”
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Charlotte Humber, supporter engagement officer at Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, said the charity was “so proud” of Wood and Team ROWMADS for completing “such a demanding challenge” and setting a new world record
“It means a great deal that Felix has chosen to support Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance in this way, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has donated so far,” she said
The charity, which operates for 19 hours a day, 365 days a year, relies on donations to fund missions that cost around £3,500 each. Last year they attended 2,738 incidents across the region
