The four members of Team 44West are Julian Müller, Luca Fayd’herbe de Maudave, Lorenzo Henseler, and Matthias Fernandez Garcia.
Julian Müller is studying Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen. He has a long rowing career behind him, including time with the Swiss elite rowing team.
Luca Fayd’herbe de Maudave also works in the field of business administration. A competitive rower since the age of 14, he is now seeking new challenges with 44West.
Lorenzo Henseler studies Law and Economics. Within the team, he often takes on the role of keeping the overview and maintaining focus on the bigger picture.
Matthias Fernandez Garcia is a former professional rower. With titles at the U23 level, he brings valuable experience to the project.
The team’s goal is twofold: first, to complete the crossing as quickly as possible and ideally beat the current record of 29 days, 14 hours, and 34 minutes. Second, they have a clear vision that goes beyond the athletic challenge — they are raising funds in support of rrreefs, a project dedicated to the restoration of coral reefs. With their efforts, 44West aims to contribute to biodiversity and help regenerate 1% of the world’s coral reefs by 2034.
During the crossing, the team expects extreme conditions: storms, high waves, and complete isolation. Each rower will have to make more than 375,000 strokes, with the crew collectively exceeding 1.5 million strokes.
You might be wondering what happens in case of an emergency.
Of course, the team has thought of that too — and they are proud to be supported by the Swiss start-up AirMarker AG. With its innovative emergency and tracking system AirMarker R.Four, the company ensures that help can be provided quickly and accurately in critical situations — a crucial safety factor on the open sea.
This mission is more than just a race: it combines extreme sport with environmental commitment — showing how ambitious competition and sustainable impact can go hand in hand.