Ocean odyssey underway for ex-All White
The race left Geraldton Town Beach at 11.10am local time (4.10am BST), heading for Mauritius.
Competing in the race is Tom Wigram, 31, who emigrated from Bovey Tracey to New Zealand six years ago to become a builder.
He is a member of that New Zealand four aboard Rowing for Prostate, made up of UK ex-pats.
It is a known fact that most ocean rowers row naked because of the heat and chaffing between the legs, but not until out of sight of land. Male rowers usually wear a sock over their genitals for comfort.
However, as the starting hooter went, all four of the New Zealand crew stood up and dropped their shorts to reveal their personal socks.
Tom, whose parents Sue and James still live in Bovey Tracey, is a former Newton Abbot rugby player.
The crew are raising funds for prostate cancer research after crew member Billy Gammon's father from Trevose in Cornwall had been diagnosed with the cancer.
Tom said: "Our aim is to get to Mauritius safely. We would love to win but winning for us is getting across. I'm hoping we can do it in 70 days."
Also competing are four rowers from Bexhill Rowing Club, who regularly compete at the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta and an all-female four – three of whom rowed the Atlantic last year.
The 3,100 nautical mile Indian Ocean Rowing Race, organised by Woodvale Challenge Limited, includes two solos, five pairs and three fours, all in 24ft ocean rowing boats.
Their initial course will take them north-westerly and then to the north of the Abrolhos Islands before heading out into the extremes of the Indian Ocean.
The early leaders, and favourites to win, were a four-man Australian crew.
An eight, which will not now be part of the race, is scheduled to leave Geraldton today in an attempt to break the Indian Ocean rowing record.
On board will be a Belgian, an Australian, three Brits and three from the USA. They will be rowing the specially-adapted 35ft ocean rowing boat Audeamus, meaning 'let us dare'.
Simon Chalk, whose name is synonymous with ocean rowing, is a late inclusion in the crew. Chalk rowed in the first Atlantic race in 1997 with George Rock aboard Cellnet Atlantic Challenger – crossing in 64 days and five hours.
He also became the youngest British rower to row the Indian Ocean in 2003 in 107 days aboard True Spirit, and in 2008 he was captain of the first five-man crew to row the Atlantic crossing in 37 days, five hours and 50 minutes aboard Oyster Shack Challenger.
Another member of the crew is Angela Madson, a paraplegic who successfully competed in the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race with amputee Frank Festor, crossing in 67 days.
