A HORSELL woman is part of a six-strong team soon to embark upon the world’s toughest rowing race, a challenge to circumnavigate Great Britain unsupported.
Sandra Gates is a member of Team Ithaca, an all-female group aiming to become the first all-British women’s team to finish, as well as challenging the women’s world record.
Team Ithaca, its name appropriately inspired by the CP Cavafy poem reminding us not to lose sight of the journey as we pursue our goals, will set out from Tower Bridge this Sunday (4 June) with 2,000 miles of hard rowing ahead of them before returning to London.
Sandra, who works for St Peter’s Hospital in cardiac rehabilitation and in the community running exercise classes for anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis or heart condition, will be joined in the boat by skipper Emma Wolstenholme, first mate Amy Wood, Clair Fennessy, Emma Haxell and Maggie Hodge.
Lest anyone think this is half-a-dozen women out for a bit of fun on the water, a glance at their CVs tells a very different story.
They are a resourceful and thoroughly resilient team, among them a former RAF officer and the last woman out of Camp Bastion in Afghanistan in 2014 (Emma); an Atlantic rower at the age of 25 and England international at karate (Amy); an Army officer and international-level rugby player (Maggie); another rugby international and National League hockey player (Clair); an experienced mountaineer (Emma); and a veteran of marathons and 100-mile bike rides (Sandra).
After months of training, the team will be rowing continuously and unsupported, with the aim of finishing in 50 days or less. If they are successful, they will break the world record, becoming the first team of six to have completed the feat.
“We are hoping to be the first all-British women’s team to complete the challenge,” Sandra said. “Only one all ladies’ team has completed the challenge and they had an American as part of their crew. They hold the record for the fastest female team [51 days] which we are also hoping to challenge.
“While rowing we will be raising money for CanRehab Trust, a charity that works with anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis, helping them to become more active, supporting them physically and psychologically. It’s a charity close to my heart.”
As well as contending with fast-turning tides, unpredictable weather, a rocky coastline and busy shipping lanes, Team Ithaca will collect groundbreaking data – including micro-plastics sampling, sound pollution, water temperature and salinity - to help scientists at the University of Portsmouth better analyse the water around our coastline.
Team Ithaca said: “We all come from active and adventurous backgrounds, but this race requires more than just strength, stamina and endurance. We’re excited to push ourselves mentally and physically, while helping some really worthwhile causes.”
The boat is 10 metres long and will carry everything the team need to be unsupported, including food for 50 days, medical kit and tools. Two crew members hold the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) First Aid at Sea certificate and all hold the RYA VHF radio course certification.
The team are monitored 24 hours a day by the race organisers, GB Row, and they all wear personal locator beacons.
“As tides and conditions allow we will have three people rowing at a time in a pattern of two hours on, two hours off continuously,” Sandra said.
“Each of the team has put in a significant personal contribution towards the cost of the boat hire and race entry. And we do have some amazing sponsors, who are listed on our team website [www.teamithaca.com].”
FOR more information and to donate, visit www.justgiving.com and search for Team Ithaca. For details about the team’s charity, visit www.canrehabtrust.org.