Unfortunately the Gill sponsored ocean rowing team made up off adventurer James Ketchell and friend Ashley Wilson have had to abandon their world record attempt for the second time after being hit by a huge storm.

On their first attempt, in May, the pair was forced to abort their bid to row from Geraldton in Western Australia to Port Louis in Mauritius just one day into the journey after electronic guidance systems failed. After overcoming this set back, the pair set off again on Friday, but bad luck followed them and they ran into bad weather approximately 175km west of Kalbarri, forcing them to activate their emergency personal location beacon.

Shortly after the alarm was raised, a merchant vessel was able to reach the pair.

Geraldton Sea Rescue vice commander Ian Beard said Wilson, who has severe epilepsy, had hit his head in rough seas and was in a bad way. The rowers also lost equipment when the boat rolled a number of times, a spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.

James & Ashley spent three years planning the 5,800km trip and hoped to beat the existing record of 85 days, two hours and five minutes. Their journey was timed to miss WA’s summer cyclone season and the route chosen to avoid the more treacherous winter weather in the southern Indian Ocean.

The pair aimed to raise $200,000 for the charities Young Epilepsy, Scouts, and the Elifar Foundation, which helps people with severe learning difficulties and associated physical disabilities.