Profile

Name: Pedro Salgard Cunha

Age: 28 years old

Nationality: Dual Portuguese and Swedish nationality

Employment: After two and a half years in the Swedish army I came to Trinity College, Cambridge University to take an MSci in Natural Sciences. Five years later I'm still here, now one year into a PhD researching new materials and techniques for creating solar cells.

Previous rowing experience: Since arriving in Cambridge in 2004 I've been a member of First and Third Trinity Boat Club, where I was Men's Captain in 2006-2007. I also completed a crossing of the English Channel with a crew from FaT in 2007.

Why row 3000 miles across the Atlantic ocean?

Well, it seemed like a good idea when I signed up! I wanted to challenge myself and to be involved with something really big, and the Atlantic row fitted the bill perfectly. The idea had been floating around in my head for a while, and when I saw an advertisement for crew mates to row an ocean I felt I had to go for it. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something which I might not be able to do if I let it rest too long – I don't think many bosses in the ‘real world' would take such a supportive view of a forty day “holiday” in the mid-Atlantic as my PhD supervisor Ulli has!

The challenge is more than just physical though. The organisational and especially fundraising side of the trip are all part of what makes the experience so tough, and so valuable. I'm looking to attract sponsorship from individuals and companies, big and small, local and national. On top of raising money towards the £15000 cost of getting myself on the boat, I've also set myself the goal of raising £3000 for East Anglia's Children's Hospices whilst raising their profile through media coverage of the event.

Oh, and who wouldn't want to be the third ex-Captain of First and Third to row the Atlantic! Three out of only about three hundred athletes ever to have completed the row wouldn't be a bad record for the club, would it?