Winchester Thurston Grads Rowing Their Way To World Record

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A pair of Pittsburgh teenagers are proving that you don't even need a boat to chase after a rowing record.

"Wes and I are trying to break the world record for longest continual row," Winchester Thurston High School graduate Ben Akers said.

The recent grads have been out of school for less than a month and they already have a record in their sights.

"Couple years ago, some girls on our team broke the 24-hour world record. Ben and I thought it would be cool to have our own world record. We thought we would do this one, the longest continual row," Wesley Fox said.

The crew teammates take turns on the ERG, or indoor rowing machine, at the Steel City Rowing Club in Verona. They started on Tuesday and hope to break the record tonight.

"It's the under 19 lightweight world record. The current world record is 50 hours, and so we are trying to go for 55 hours -- is our goal," Akers said.

Visitors have been stopping by the rowing club to cheer them on as they row their way toward the possible record.

"Pretty good. A bit sore in the back, but I can get through it," Fox said.

Their target is 10 p.m. tonight, which would be enough to land their efforts in the history books.

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