Four ‘Ancient Mariners’ row across the Atlantic in record-breaking time

A crew of rowers who call themselves the “Ancient Mariners” say they have broken a world record after rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in just 49 days.

With a total combined age of 257 years and 10 days, the group laid claim to the title of the oldest crew of four to row the Atlantic. The current holders of the Guinness World Record had a total combined age of 223 years and 211 days, and they took 52 days to cross the ocean.

UK residents Guy Munnoch, 67, Mike Winn, 64, John Moorhouse, 63, and Steve Hughes, 61, set sail from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on December 12.

After working a shift pattern of two hours rowing, two hours rest for 24 hours a day, they arrived in English Harbor, Antigua on their boat, named “The Grey Escape Vessel,” on January 30, according to a press release.

It took them 49 days, 8 hours and 40 minutes to make the crossing, resulting in a total combined stroke count of 1.5 million.

Munnoch and Hughes are both army veterans while Winn is a retired accountant and Moorhouse is a retired dental implant surgeon, according to the crew’s website.

The mission was led by Munnoch, who is currently the chairman of Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC, a financial services company.

“It has been an unbelievably demanding, life-changing experience for all of us, requiring immense physical endurance,” Munnoch said in a statement.

The group raised money for the Blind Veterans charity in the UK and the Open Arms Orphanage in Malawi, raising over £20,000 ($26,000).

“It’s a tremendous feeling to reach the finish in less than 50 days and I’m incredibly proud that we’ve achieved a new Guinness World Record … whilst making a difference and supporting the fantastic work of … two charities very close to our hearts,” Munnoch added.

CNN has approached Guinness World Records for comment.