ROWERS from Lyme Regis have passed the half way stage in their epic row across the Atlantic.

The Corinthians – Brian Fletcher, Chris Walters, Tony Short and Elliot Dale – got to the midway point on New Year’s Eve.

The quartet are lying seventh in the race over 2,550 nautical miles from the Canary Islands to Barbados in the 2011 Talisker Challenge.

Team administrator Andrew Pocock said: “Spirits are quite high.

“They are now over half of the way there.”

The team left a month ago and have been rowing about 50 miles a day.

They started the race working in two man shifts – two rowing and two resting.

Recently one man has been rowing while the other has taken the tiller to keep them on course after their auto helm broke.

Other boats have pulled out with one vessel picked up by a cargo ship after being overturned by waves.

The crew braved 40 feet waves before the wind dropped just after Christmas but it picked up again over new year.

Follow their progress on their website spiritofcorinth.co.uk