Updated: Joy as Thomas Cremona arrives in Barbados and sets record

Updated at 12.35. and 3.06 p.m. - Adds comments by Thomas Cremona

Thomas Cremona and his crew of exhausted Atlantic rowers have arrived in Barbados and set a new Atlantic rowing record. They left from Morocco on January 5 on the Sara G and arrived at their destination, 5,000km away, at 12.18 today.

A change of wind direction in the last hour made the row a struggle to the end, but the crew still arrived well within the time they needed to break a record set only yesterday by a competing boat.

They completed the crossing in 33 days, 21 hours and 46 minutes, beating the previous record by 10 hours.

The six-man crew, with included Irish and British rowers, were greeted with applause and hugs by a small crowd of relatives and friends who were waiting on the quay.

Thomas, the first Maltese to row across the Atlantic Ocean, wrapped himself in the Maltese flag as he reciprocated the greetings.

In a comment soon after jumping on shore, Thomas said he was 'ecstatic but tired' and he was looking forward to a proper meal, having spent a month eating high calorie packs.

Thomas said he had suffered sea sickness in the first 20 days. The weather, he said was changeable but had helped them in their trip. One day they experienced seven-metre waves, which was scary.

Another boat, the Hallin Marine, set its short-lived record just yesterday, arriving at Barbados at 4.02 p.m. (9.02 p.m. in Malta) having left from the Canary islands. In order to beat the record, the Sara G had to arrive today by 11 p.m. (Malta time).

The Ocean Rowing Society International (ORSI) accepted to recognise the Hallin Marine record attempt on proportionately reduced distance, it having left from the Canary Islands, while the Sara G had left from Morocco, 5,000Km away, on January 5 at 1.30 p.m. GMT.

Within sight of Barbados, the rudder of Hallin Marine developed a problem leaving her crew unable to steer adequately. Fortunately for them, they were close enough to the north western coast to beach their boat a few kilometres north of Port St Charles.

An accountant by profession, Thomas Cremona, 22, survived Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia when aged four and his Row4Cancer campaign aimed at raising awareness that there is life after cancer.

He was congratulated by Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clyde Puli, the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party.

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