Engage with China Logo

Tag: Denmark

  • ‘Reverse Viking’ row: Norfolk to Denmark in pursuit of re-writing of the history of exploration

    This Saturday, 08 August, Christian Havrehed, Danish adventurer, inspirational speaker & EwC Adventure Ambassador, will push off in an ocean-going rowing boat destined for Copenhagen in Denmark. This 300-nautical mile journey will include rowing both in the North Sea and up the Eider Kanal across Germany just as the Vikings did centuries ago. Setting out from Lowestoft Marina in Suffolk on a ‘reverse Viking row’ should take 4-8 days, subject to prevailing winds, weather and busy traffic in the shipping lanes. 

    This will not be Christian’s first sea-going row – nor his last! In 2001, he rowed with Chinese athlete, Sun Haibin, across the Atlantic in 56 days, in the newly inaugurated Ward-Evans Atlantic Rowing Challenge.  The purpose of the journey this Saturday is for Christian to take delivery of his new ocean rowing boat, in anticipation of a much larger row next year from Ningbo in Eastern China to Japan in May 2021.

    “I believe that history can be brought alive through the medium of adventure,” says Christian. “Since 2001, I have been researching whether the Chinese & Vikings visited America before Columbus. The row commencing on 08 August, together with further historical research and other nautical adventures, will look for physical clues to back up historical claims.” 

    The launch date, 08/08, is most auspicious in Chinese culture and is often associated with good luck. As it happens, the captain of this row will be Chris Martin, founder of New Ocean Wave Ltd, and the first person to row across both the Atlantic & the Pacific Oceans. Two marines will also be pulling the oars with them, on a gruelling 2-hour on and two hours off cycle so the crew should be in several pairs of safe hands!

    EwC directors, Theresa Booth & H-J Colston, will be at Lowestoft Marina on Saturday morning to cheer on the crew as they meet each other for the first time and familiarise themselves with the boat. The British are obsessed with the weather but, when you are about to set out into the North Sea, busy with ocean-going vessels, it is important to minimise risks, where possible. Subject to the weather and tides, the crew hopes to launch on the afternoon high tide.

    Christian’s company is called Yantu, (沿途) which in Chinese means “along the way.” His slogan is, “合作可以更多”or, “together we can do more.” Engage with China is proud to have been nominated as a Campaign support partner for these journeys and will accompany him virtually “along the way” as our logo will be visible on the side of the boat.

    Christian hopes to raise funds during these adventures to support cross-cultural understanding and Engage with China hopes that, by supporting Christian’s academic research and these adventures, we can do more together to build China literacy in UK schools by enabling young people to make connections across other curriculum subjects, such as history and geography and build curiosity about China.

    [To stay updated on this rowing journey and other EwC news, follow us on Twitter or sign up for our latest News]

  • Ocean rower becomes EwC “Adventure Ambassador”

    Engage with China is delighted to announce the appointment of its newest Ambassador, Christian Havrehed, adventurer, ocean-rower, inspirational speaker and founder of Yantu.com. A graduate in Chinese Studies from the University of Durham and always interested in the sea, Christian was deemed “crazy enough” to enter the newly inaugurated Ward-Evans Atlantic Rowing Challenge in 2001. His rowing partner was Chinese athlete, Sun Haibin, in what was considered a collaborative joint venture of mental and physical endurance. The journey from Tenerife to Barbados took the pair 56 days to accomplish. Both athletes became the first Dane and Chinese, respectively, to row an ocean, and Sun was even nominated Sportsman of the Year in China. 

    Former consultant at KPMG based in Hong Kong and then Shanghai, Christian has been interested in Chinese history for decades. His adventures aim to validate his research thesis that the Chinese, like the Vikings, reached America before Christopher Columbus. “I believe that history can be brought alive through the medium of adventure,” says Christian. It would seem that his own personal history also drives his interest in China and the oceans. Both his grandfather and great, great, great, great grandfather, were sea-farers who ended up working in China and Macau, the latter even learning mandarin which was illegal at the time.

    Christian’s research since 2001, revolves around the 219BC voyage by sorcerer Xu Fu, who, according to Chinese history, was sent by the First Emperor, Qin Shihuang, – (of Terracotta Warriors fame) – to bring back the elixir of immortality kept by the Gods in the Eastern Seas. Xu Fu made two voyages but never returned from the second.  No one knows where Xu Fu and his entourage settled, but there are temples dedicated to him, including along the east and west coasts of Japan. Christian, along with academics like the late Joseph Needham, believes that Xu Fu may have used the Kuroshio current to make it across the Pacific Ocean to America and settled there to escape certain death from the Emperor for deceiving him and failing to produce the elixir. 

    From his education during 6th form at Atlantic College in Cardiff, part of the United World College network, Christian believes that life must include an element of “giving back.” His adventures aim to raise money for UWC & other educational causes.

    Engage with China, an educational charity dedicated to building China literacy in UK schools, is delighted to be a Campaign Partner for Christian’s Yantu 沿途 project. Yantu in Chinese means “along the way.” We will be supporting his adventures on land and water and agree with his slogan that, “合作可以更多!” In these COVID times it is more important than ever to find ways for international cooperation and understanding – even if these are conducted upon the high seas!

    The next rowing adventure is coming soon… watch this space! Meantime, do read more about him http://www.engagewithchina.org/trustees/