In December this year, I will be rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic with three other women, as part of the World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic, previously known as the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. We will depart from La Gomera in the Canary Islands and head to English Harbour in Antigua, hoping to arrive in less than 40 days. We anticipate battling 20ft waves, mitigating the risk of capsize and potential salt sores, sea sickness and technical failure. The four of us on the crew, Lizz Watson, Kit Windsor, Beth Motley and me are undertaking this challenge in aid of three fantastic charities: Macmillan Cancer, the Outward Bound Trust and Prostate Cymru.
When people hear that we are heading out into the vast Atlantic Ocean in an 8 metre by 2 metre boat, rowing two hours on and two hours off throughout the duration of the crossing, it is not unexpected that people ask “Why?” I find this a tricky question to answer, because fundamentally, why not? I am from a rather sporty and adventurous family and have always been inspired by those around me. My grandfather was an accomplished rower and, whilst I didn’t have his success in traditional rowing, I have always loved the sport. I have also always been interested in testing myself, having a focus and doggedly working towards it to succeed. Therefore when the opportunity presented itself to undertake this challenge, I knew I couldn’t say no. Having the support of my fiancé and my family is incredibly important, however I also knew I needed JM Finn and my team to back me as well. They have gone above and beyond my expectations and I am incredibly lucky to be encouraged by so many people at the company.
To prepare ourselves, we have a strict training programme, with three sessions per week that focus on power, endurance and strength. Most past rowers we have spoken to have wished that they had focussed more on their mobility and core strength, specifically their oblique muscles, and we therefore have a couple of sessions throughout the week to build on these areas. I also aim to row approximately 30km per week. We took possession of our ocean rowing boat, a Rannoch R45 called “SS1”, in September last year and have been undertaking training rows to experience the unpredictability of the ocean. This has tested our navigation skills, knowledge of tides and how to anchor.
We are also undertaking mental preparation, focussing on each of our responses to critical situations and how our personalities may determine our reactions. We have a crisis management coach and have recently also started with an ocean rowing coach to support us with scenario planning whilst at sea. These scenarios can vary from dealing with equipment failure through to handling sea sickness. All of this preparation will hopefully enable us to have contingency plans if these situations materialise, and as a team we will agree how to manage them.
Whilst there is a significant focus on the things that might go wrong and how we deal with them, I am incredibly excited for the experience we are going to have during our crossing. During our training rows we have experienced lots of wildlife, including dolphins, seals, puffins and enormous jellyfish. I am looking forward to hopefully adding whales and sharks to this during our crossing!
Having the support of my fiancé and my family is incredibly important, however I also knew I needed JM Finn and my team to back me as well.
The challenge is a physical one, but it is also a case of looking after yourself and your teammates when sleep deprived and low on energy. I am eager to see how I rise to this challenge, ensuring that I am focussing on the task at hand and supporting my crewmates, while looking forward to arriving in Antigua and seeing my partner, family and friends.
We are approximately six months away from the start of the race. We are lucky to be supported by some fantastic businesses and people who are helping us make this dream a reality, and continue to build new partnerships to help fund the challenge and raise money for our selected charities. We have a few more months with our beloved “SS1” before she is shipped to La Gomera in early October, and it will then be a case of fundraising as much as possible for our charities and continuing our preparations to ensure we start the race in the best possible position.
