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Mark Agnew

Andrew Lawson became the first person to row around Lantau Island solo last week, finishing back in Discovery Bay after seven hours.
The South African is an experienced long distance rower and inevitably his achievement brought attention and praise, but he would rather not be in the spotlight.
“It’s my home island. I just wanted to get round it, and if it wasn’t a rowing club regulation, I probably would have just got in a boat, gone round and turned back up later in the day with blisters on my hands,” Lawson, 42, said.
“There’s a lot of guys doing stuff out here, 150km hikes and all sorts of stuff, but not in the big races that get publicity. They just get home, put on a suit and go to work.
“I enjoy that a lot. It’s stealth mode, achieving a lot and not saying much about it,” said Lawson, a member of the Lantau Boat Club.

Lantau is a hotbed for residents just getting on with mammoth challenges. Lawson was particularly inspired by Brett Hillier, who ran up and down the hill to the dam above Discovery Bay until he accumulated the height of Everest, and Bruce Pye and Olivier Baillet, who swam around Lantau.
“Psychology-wise, seeing others do these incredible feats, it just opens your mind up quite a lot,” he said.
If Lawson must step into the spotlight, he hopes he can at least use it positively and be like those who inspired him. “If you see others doing it, it creates the avenue for you to do. And if I put my mind to do something, I generally do it. If I see the end goal, I keep working until I get there.
“My hands are pretty blistered up. If you start getting salt water on your oars, then it starts rubbing into your skin. The hands took a bit of a beating. But otherwise, I was quite surprised, my body held up pretty well.”
Lawson is an experienced long distance rower. In November, he won the 44km Around The Island Race, as the fastest solo rower. He also rowed halfway around Lantau earlier this year, but the conditions were not right for a full attempt. He also surf skis and swims.


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Andrew Lawson rows 70km around Lantau in seven hours, but would avoid the publicity if he could
South African is inspired by ‘incredible feats’ on and around Lantau and if he must be recognised for his row, he hopes it might inspire others



Andrew Lawson rows 70km around Lantau in seven hours after being inspired by ‘incredible feats’, and if he must be recognised for his row, he hopes it might inspire others.


First person to row solo around Lantau Island prefers ‘stealth mode’ to avoid the spotlight

Andrew Lawson rows 70km around Lantau in seven hours, but would avoid the publicity if he could South African is inspired by ‘incredible feats’ on and around Lantau and if he must be recognised for his row, he hopes it might inspire others

Andrew Lawson rows 70km around Lantau in seven hours, but would avoid the publicity if he could

South African is inspired by ‘incredible feats’ on and around Lantau and if he must be recognised for his row, he hopes it might inspire others