 Rachel Smith and Lin Griesel will be taking on the challenge of a lifetime when they embark from La Gomera in November 2007 in their bid to smash the current British women's record for rowing across the Atlantic during the Atlantic Rowing Race.
Rachel and Lin will aim to complete the gruelling 2,935 mile journey from the Spanish island that will hopefully see them arrive triumphantly in Antigua early in February 2008, with only each other for company. During the race they expect to experience extremes of blistering heat, stark conditions and thirty foot waves, dodge large tankers and meet a variety of wildlife, not all of which is friendly!
As well as setting a new record, their second challenge will be to raise over £100,000 for Breast Cancer Care, the UK's leading provider of breast cancer information and support. Friends for over ten years, Rachel and Lin have wanted to do something for charity for several years. Since both women have seen family members affected by breast cancer in the past, Breast Cancer Care was a natural choice.
Lin and Rachel will be rowing a Woodvale Pairs boat, designed specifically for the race and measuring just 7 metres (23.4 feet) long and 1.9 metres (6.3 feet) wide. They will need to pack their entire supply of food for the journey, use a de-salination machine to turn sea water into drinking water and use the boat's solar panels to power any electrical equipment they take on board with them. A very small cabin provides shelter for sleeping, although the women plan to run a 'two hours on, two hours off' system to maximise rowing time.
Breast Cancer Care has been working for over thirty years listening and talking to people about breast cancer. They provide accurate, easy to understand information, as well as practical and emotional support. They are the only charity working across the UK to provide these services. Every year they are contacted almost two million times for support and information through their services including their helpline, website and publications. All their services are free. 41,000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. Every thirteen minutes someone receives the devastating news that they have breast cancer.
With their challenge, Lin and Rachel are raising money to help ensure that these women and men receive support and information when they need it most. The charity is supporting Lin and Rachel's campaign with a two year PR campaign supported by various charity events.
Here are just a few examples of how sponsorship donations can help: £15.00 enables Breast Cancer Care to send out breast cancer factsheets and booklets to thirty people in urgent need of information. £35.00 ensures Breast Cancer Care can give someone calling their helpline the crucial one-to-one support they need. £65.00 enables Breast Cancer Care to provide support to someone via their online 'Ask the Nurse' service.
Contact: Lin Griesel or Rachel Smith. Tel.: 07980 898016. Other contact details in our Cause-related: People, Sport: Expeditions and Sport: Water-related/rowing sections.
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