ROWERS from the Swindon area are still making good time in the official Ward Evans Atlantic race.

The latest positions in the race, which covers 3,000 miles between Tenerife and Barbados, show that one local boat is now in sixth position.

Tim Thurnham, 35, whose father owns Crane Farm at South Cerney, and his fellow rower Will Mason, are aboard boat nine, Bright Spark.

And the pair celebrated at the weekend with a special box of chocolates after crossing the halfway mark.

In an e-mail home Tim said: "It's been a long time coming and although it is obviously worth celebrating we both sometimes think how much we have to do.

"I would love this to be the finish but our heads know that we must break the second leg into achievable chunks and knuckle down to it."

The pair seem to have overcome initial set backs when they were both seasick and Mark had to be put on a drip for two days. But now that is all forgotten and the weather is being kind at the moment.

Tim said: "We have just finished the world's longest game of Scrabble and I have just started to read my one book. However the bulk of our time is taken up by washing and attending to personal hygiene in a bid to keep the sores at bay.

"This is not just for our comfort but for boat speed we have already had a few shifts off and simply sail, that is just steer, to help things heal."

There is plenty of wildlife on the ocean and Tim said they have just videoed a six foot swordfish which had been following the boat.

There are 36 boats and 72 competitors in the official race. All competitors are amateur rowers and adventurers from 15 different countries and all but two teams are still rowing.

The lead boat is Telecom Challenge I, some 469 miles ahead of Bright Spark, which is expected to arrive in Barbados on November 27.

Among other local rowers is Julian McHardy, 43, a company director from South Marston who is now in 18th position aboard boat 45, McLlaid.

Former Royal Navy man Tony Day, 56, who once attended Highworth's Warneford School and works as a financial adviser for Zurich Financial Services, is maintaining his 28th place in boat 15, This Way Up.