Rowers complete round-Britain race
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The Seagals in their boat Go
Commando. Photo by onEdition
Kent rower Laura Thomasson and her colleagues have become
the first all-female crew to row around Britain.
It has taken them 51 days, and they have endured strong winds
and nearly being run down by a huge ship to complete the Virgin GB
Row Challenge.
They set off from Tower Bridge on June 1 to race against a boys'
team and to try and break the previous world record of 26 days. But
the conditions put paid to any hope of setting a new record, and
the boys team withdrew from the race.
Laura, 24, who lives at Kingsdown and is a member of Dover
Rowing Club, has been rowing a 24-fo9ot boat called Go
Commando with skipper Belinda Kirk, Bev Ashton and Angela
Madsen. They are called The Seagals.
They have already been congratulated by Virgin boss Sir Richard
Branson on their achievement.
When they pass under Tower Bridge again this morning, they will
win the £15,000 prize and a trophy.
Sir Richard Branson said: "Go Seagals! I knew I was right to
back to girls in beating the boys in the first ever Virgin GB Row
and I’m over the moon that such brave women have achieved a world
record in such a spectacular fashion!
"This is why we set up the Virgin Trophy. Belinda, Angela, Laura
and Beverley have pushed through extreme tiredness, hunger and
serious injury to battle on and achieve the goal they set out to
achieve.
"Britain has something to be proud of this summer after all! I
hope they will get all of Britain’s support when they row up the
Thames on Thursday to claim their world record and the trophy!"
The girls had hoped to finish on Thursday, but they were held up
by strong winds of the Essex coast.
It was the latest drama in a voyage which has been far from
plain sailing for the girls and their former opponents, a boys team
called The Misfits who withdrew from the race at Lands End after
having to accept assistance which was against the rules.
Last week the girls were nearly run down by a huge ship in the
middle of the night when Laura and Angela were rowing.
“If it had not been for the fast, calm and effective work of
Humber Coastguard God knows what would have happened to us,” said
Laura.
Problems with the boat’s solar regulator, which converts power
from the on-board solar panels into the boat's battery packs, have
led to difficulties with communications with the crew and they have
also had to introduce water rationing.
Full story in this week's Dover Mercury and East Kent
Mercury.
Wednesday, July 21 2010
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