Aberdyfi’s Ian Baylis will take on the World’s Toughest Row for the Wales Air Ambulance.

The 48-year-old’s solo 3,000-mile challenge from the Canary Islands to Antigua starts on 12 December and is expected to take around six weeks.

Ian has sailed across the Atlantic before but “doing it self-propelled on a very small boat is a whole different ball game,” he said.

His wife Nia completed the same challenge last year, rowing as a pair.

Despite being away for Christmas, Ian won’t be taking presents of festive treats from home.

“Any space will be set aside for food and my essential emergency spares.

“All I care about is making sure I am well stocked and have whatever I need should something malfunction.

Competitors go through training before getting a rowing place.

As a solo rower, Ian had to do a minimum of 240 hours offshore training, and prove that through a tracking app, with evidence uploaded to a portal so organisers can check they’ve done everything required, including safety drills.

If severe weather hits, Ian has a parachute anchor to shut himself in the boat until the weather improves.

He has been through sea survival, first aid, navigation, and then the boat undergoes pre-shipping inspection, and pre-race inspection.

“A lot happens before the start,” said Ian, whose connection with air ambulances spans back to his childhood. His mum worked in the NHS, and her late twin sister oversaw the GHEMS air ambulance at the Royal London Hospital.

He said: “I have fond memories of visiting my auntie Jill at the helipad. We would meet for lunch then she would take me to see the crew and sit in the helicopter.

“I remember a doctor, a great friend of the family, who did the first open-heart surgery in the street, which is quite routine now.

“Back then they could not fly at night because of the power lines. They didn’t do what they can do now, it’s incredible really, that the emergency department can be with a patient day or night.”

Ian said Aberdyfi is “in the middle of nowhere, so as a community the Wales Air Ambulance is vital”.

Ian hopes his participation in the World’s Toughest Row will shine a light on the work of the service and encourage others to challenge themselves.

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