AFTER surviving 40ft Atlantic waves Lyme’s The Corinthians were able to reach calmer waters to enjoy their Christmas dinner – turkey-flavoured crisps.

The Corinthians – Brian Fletcher, Chris Walters, Tony Short, and Elliot Dale – are racing 2,550 nautical miles all the way from the Canary Islands to Barbados in the 2011 Talisker Challenge.

According to the team administrator Andrew Pocock, the team’s spirits were high despite the ‘extremely challenging’ weather before Christmas which saw five out of the 17 teams drop out – some sinking after being engulfed by enormous waves.

The brave lads lost ground though when their auto helm broke and one of the team was forced to steer manually instead of rowing.

Mr Pocock said: “They have had quite a tough time with tremendously heavy seas.

“The team, whose boat sunk, spent 10 hours in a lifeboat.

“They were picked up by a cruise ship but spending that time in a life-raft in heavy seas is no fun.

“Before they enter the race they all have to go through a RNLI sea survival course so if anyone can survive these guys can.

“They have overcome a number of difficulties with the auto helm breaking down.

“Normally they would row two up and two resting but with it broken down they were down to one rowing and one steering in a four-man boat.

“It has been ‘temporarily fixed of a sort’ now, with Chris being a plumber and Elliot, who restores vintage cars, being a bit of an electronics whizz kid.”

But the team were able to put their troubles behind them and enjoy the package of festive hats and little whizzers and pieces of Christmas cake.

Mr Pocock added: “And I have no doubt that they will have a couple of pints of Otter ale on board!

“We are planning a big celebration in The Talbot Arms in Uplyme when they get back and we are going to have a proper Christmas meal.”

Mr Pocock said the team were not expecting to win but their achievement will make the record books.

He said: “Whatever happens when they get to Barbados they will have made two world records with the combined age of the crew and Tony Short at 67 will be the oldest rower ever to have rowed the Atlantic.

“We are extraordinarily proud of what they are doing.”

Mr Pocock said the crew called their families and had some Christmas cake on board made by one of their wives.

The men also had some small presents to unwrap.

He added: “They would have stopped to have a sort of celebration as best they could.

“They toasted everybody back home with desalinated water.”

The rowers also posted a happy Christmas message to all of their supporters and followers on their website