A team of four mums have today become the oldest all-female crew to row an ocean, when they completed their 3000 mile row across the Atlantic, from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean, in 68 days, 5 hours and 2 minutes, as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
The team already set the World Record as the first women ever to row across the North Sea last year.
The ‘Yorkshire Rows’ team included Frances Davies, 47, chief navigator; Janette Benaddi, 51, Skipper; Niki Doeg, 44, in charge of electronics; and Helen Butters, 45, responsible for making drinking water.
Frances said yesterday: “We have had a hurricane, power failures, attacks from flying fish, seasickness and injuries, but despite the lack of comfort we seem to be close to tears when we think about the adventure coming to an end.”
Martin Hasyn, Co-Director at Progeny Private Law, said: “We are incredibly proud of the Yorkshire Rows’ achievement. On top of starting a new law firm, Frances dedicated all her spare time to training for this race and all her hard work has paid off. We are thrilled to have the girls back on dry land and we look forward to welcoming Frances back when she returns to the office!”
You can follow The Yorkshire Rows team’s adventure on Twitter and Facebook. You can also read Frances’ blog here.
The women have been raising money to build a Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in Leeds and for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and they have already raised over £20,000 for the charities.
Laura Lee, Chief Executive at Maggie’s said: “Everybody at Maggie’s would like to congratulate Frances and the team on an incredible achievement. We have been following their progress and are extremely thankful to the Yorkshire Rows team for raising money to support Maggie’s and help us to build a new Centre at St James University Hospital, where we will be able to offer our unique programme of practical, emotional and social support to those affected by cancer in Yorkshire and their friends and family.”
Abby McClymont, Marketing & Communications Manager, from Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as one of the Charity’s of the Yorkshire Rows Atlantic challenge, and so delighted they have been able to complete the crossing and gain their world record! The monies they have raised, as well as the awareness they have created of our Charity has been outstanding. As an independent Charity, we rely on people such as the Yorkshire Rows ladies to help us raise the vital funds we require to keep both of our helicopters in the air and helping to save lives across Yorkshire. It costs £12,000 per day to keep the Charity running and the donation from the Yorkshire Row’s ladies will be very gratefully received.”
To donate to Maggie’s go to www.justgiving.com/YorkshireRowsMaggies or text ROWS88 with an amount, to 70070.
To donate to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance go to www.justgiving.com/YorkshireRowsYAA or text ROWS91 with an amount, to 70070.
Progeny Private Law are proud sponsors of Yorkshire Rows.
