After 53 days at sea competing in the inaugural Shepherd Ocean Fours Rowing Race 2006, current race leaders - James Robert Hanssen - moved into the final 400 nautical miles of the crossing this week with an estimated finish date in to Falmouth of Friday this week.

If so, the crew can expect a huge welcome when they go alongside the National Maritime Museum, and with the town already in the middle of its annual sailing festival.

The Shepherd Ocean Fours Rowing Race 2006 started from New York Harbour on June 10 and four teams of four have been rowing 2,863 nautical miles non-stop across the North Atlantic Ocean to Falmouth.

The crew of the Seattle, USA, based James Robert Hanssen are Jordan Hanssen, Dylan Le Valley, Greg Spooner and Brad Vickers, and they are currently in the lead.

The official race finish line is offshore with a North/South line running along longitude 06 26.74W (Bishop Rock). In order to officially complete and receive a race placing in the Shepherd Ocean Fours Rowing Race 2006, the rowing boat must cross this line in-between the latitudes of 49 48.00N and 49 06.00N (the race finish gate). Having crossed this race finish line, the crew will then row in to Falmouth to the Events pontoon alongside the National Maritime Museum.

Coinciding with Falmouth Regatta Week, Woodvale Events Ltd, organisers of the race, are hoping as many people as possible cheer the crew in at the National Maritime Museum to witness history in the making.