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Toronto rower completes solo Atlantic Ocean crossing

Just after 3 p.m. on Thursday, Toronto rower Jean-Guy Sauriol, 60, completed his 4,815-kilometre solo journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The oldest Canadian to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo from the Canary Islands to Barbados — only three Canucks have done it — Sauriol was also the fastest: he completed his journey in 74 days and three hours.

"It's been amazing. Amongst the three of us who have rowed, I'm now the fastest. The next guy did it in 76 days, which became my target," he told the Toronto Sun.

Sauriol's wife and son cheered him on as he arrived in Barbados.

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"I am very proud of his accomplishments and hope he inspires others to fulfil their dreams," his wife, Lucie Cossette, wrote in a email to the Toronto Sun.

Sauriol had been planning the bucket-list adventure for four years. He set off on November 23 in his one-man boat, The Maple, which capsized twice in the two-and-a-half months at sea.

He celebrated his 60th birthday on New Year's Eve.

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"It was quite special because I was calling on the satellite phone in the middle of the Atlantic and three CBC French TV newscasters sang 'Happy Birthday' to me," he said of his memorable birthday on the water.

The boat will not return with him to Canada next week. Instead, it will "float on to the United Kingdom" to a new owner.

Sauriol's ocean crossing helped raise more than $10,000 for a number of charities.

"I am really glad I did this," Sauriol wrote on his blog on Friday. "While I was on the ocean, everything seemed so unreal, even surreal. I’ve asked myself: why would someone do this? And frankly, I couldn’t find a good reason for the longest time. I found the answer the last night at sea and when I crossed the finish line. We do this for the satisfaction of having done something hard. This may be hard to understand for some. I encourage you to find your own ocean to row and live crossing your finish line. Be assured that now that it is over, I can say it was worth every drop of sweat and every penny I put into this project."