diff --git a/rowers/dataprep.py b/rowers/dataprep.py
index b1522cc8..b1871fc9 100644
--- a/rowers/dataprep.py
+++ b/rowers/dataprep.py
@@ -1842,7 +1842,10 @@ parsers = {
 
 def get_startdate_time_zone(r,row,startdatetime=None):
     if startdatetime is not None and startdatetime != '':
-        timezone_str = pendulum.instance(startdatetime).timezone.name
+        try:
+            timezone_str = pendulum.instance(startdatetime).timezone.name
+        except ValueError:
+            timezone_str = 'Ect/GMT'
     else:
         startdatetime = row.rowdatetime