Meet The Coxless Crew, Four Women Bid To Row 8,000 Miles Across The Pacific In Six Month Journey
These Four Women Are Rowing Over 8,000 Miles For Charity
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A group of women set off on Monday on a grueling journey across the Pacific, in a quest to row thousands of miles for charity.
The women, dubbed the Coxless Crew, are heading out from the west coast of America for a journey of 8,446 miles across the world's largest expanse of open water.
Their daring challenge is expected to take around six months, during which they will set foot on land just twice as they travel the equivalent of more than a third of the distance around the world.
The group will stop off for around five days in Hawaii and Samoa before they come ashore for the final time at Cairns on the north east coast of Australia.
If their journey is successful, the women will become the first all-female team to row this route across the Pacific, the first team of four and will set the record for the fastest Pacific row. They also hope to raise around £250,000 for two charities, Walking With The Wounded and Breast Cancer Care.
During their voyage they are likely to contend with ocean storms, changing currents, a glaring sun that will send temperatures soaring to more than 40C (104F) and possibly the company of an odd whale or two.
And the only thing to shelter them from treacherous seas is a small pink boat. Named Doris, a £90,000 carbon fibre and Kevlar rowing boat just 29ft long and 7ft at her widest point, with two cabins.
Leading the Coxless Crew is Laura Penhaul, a 31-year-old Cornish native now living in Putney, south west London, who is the lead physiotherapist for the British Paralympic team.
Manning the oars are Emma Mitchell, 29, an expedition team leader from Marlow who lives in Portsmouth, and Natalia Cohen, 40, an adventure tour leader based in London.
The rowing quartet will be completed by three different women. Isabel Burnham, 30, a solicitor from Saffron Walden, will join them for the leg from mainland America to Hawaii; Lizanne van Vuuren, 26, a south African osteopath who grew up in Newbury, will take over from Hawaii to Samoa, while Meg Dyos, an estate agent from London who at 24 is the youngest, will help see them home from Samoa to Cairns.
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From left-right: Natalia Cohen, 40, Emma Mitchell, 29, Isabel Burnham, 30 and Laura Penhaul, 31
The expedition has been more than three years and £200,000 in the planning, and the crew have spent the last week in their starting port of San Francisco, carrying out final checks and training sessions and making sure their supplies and equipment are all ship-shape.
At 9am British time today, the group rowed under Golden Gate Bridge, towards the south Pacific.
Such a journey is a daunting prospect, and one that the experienced women have been preparing for.
For Cohen, the challenge will be 90% mental and 10% physical, made manageable by breaking it down into comprehensible sections.
"It is ridiculous, a huge undertaking and without doubt will be the biggest challenge I have ever faced," she said. "Though we have obviously done a lot of mental preparation and have to be able to visualise the end at Cairns, I am taking it chunk by chunk. That is how you deal with the enormity of it all.
"It is a journey of 8,446 miles but begins with a single stroke. That is how I am coping with it - stroke by stroke, shift by shift, leg by leg."
The women will row in pairs in two-hour shifts, making painfully slow progress at an average of just 2 knots an hour - the equivalent of 2.3mph on land.
Those off duty will have plenty of lists and routines to run through - filling in log books, carrying out equipment checks and taking great care of personal hygiene to combat the sunburn, blisters and sores they will inevitably suffer in their spartan environment.
And, of course, they will have to sleep.
"What normally happens is that people sleep in one block, for seven to eight hours," Cohen explained. "But out there we will have to go into 'napping' mode, of 45 to 90 minutes. During these we will need to get in a full sleep cycle to allow the body to do its repairs."
They will also need to eat, but it will be far from salubrious fare out on the ocean. Dinners will be freeze-dried expedition food - spaghetti bolognese, shepherd's pie, chicken noodle and curries, with custard for dessert.
But the women will have to each consume a massive 5,000 calories a day - more than twice the usual intake for a woman - and have snack packs full of protein bars, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and beef jerky to help keep their energy levels up. They are also each sneaking on board a little comfort food - tuna in oil for Cohen, and rice and chicken stock for Penhaul.
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The Coxless Crew in action
Drinking water will be converted from sea water and Doris is laden with emergency bottled water, as well as navigation, satellite and communications equipment.
The first two weeks are likely to be among the most challenging as they get used to their new routines and any sea-sickness.
There is 24 hour land-based support from logistics boss Tony Humphreys, who will give them daily updates on weather and navigational issues, but out on the ocean they are on their own.
For the first 100 miles they can be rescued by helicopter, but after that any hope of salvation will be from a passing ship.
Cohen said: "We are out there and at the mercy of Mother Nature, but hopefully we will be prepared for whatever is on its way.
"In really bad weather, when we won't have the strength to row, we will have to put out a para-anchor to swing us round so we are nose to wave, otherwise we can capsize. The boat is self-righting and we have practised this, so we'll just have to strap ourselves in the cabins and ride out any storm."
Aside from the weather, ocean, food and sleep deprivation, painful chafing and gruelling physical toil, dealing with the solitude will be one of their greatest challenges.
Cohen said: "It is going to be pretty boring a lot of the time, so we will have to find ways to keep occupied and in the moment so your mind doesn't start spiralling into areas you don't want it to be.
"We have got iPods and a couple of the girls have got a Kindle so there will be a bit of variety. We will have to break each shift down to what we want to do - chatting, listening to music or an audio book. Emma wants to learn Spanish, so I will be testing her."
They are also conducting scientific research on bone density and tests on their saliva to assess cognitive behaviour and stress.
And during tough moments, the group will find motivation from the charities they are supporting. They have filled their cabin with the names of people who have sponsored them, and will tell stories about them as they go.
For Cohen, the expedition will be a true test of mind and spirit.
She said: "It is important to raise awareness and support for our charities, but I would be lying if I said there wasn't a personal intrigue to see how we are going to overcome every scare and challenge we will face on a daily basis.
"For me, life has always been about the journey, and that is how I have chosen to live. I have always been fascinated by the mind and human spirit and what makes us push forward and keep pushing, and this journey will be an opportunity to find out what that is.
"It's going to be ridiculously challenging, and I'm looking forward to seeing how we pull together as a team and draw on each other's strengths.
"I am also really looking forward to seeing phosphorescence. I have heard people mention it, and I think it would be magical to be surrounded by that and a few dolphins.
"I am just really looking forward to being insignificant and being forced to be in the moment, and hopefully some insights will come from that."
This April we're running a Fitspiration campaign, where we're championing fitness as a positive addition to life rather than always being about weight loss. From inspirational interviews to easy-to-follow exercise tips, we hope to inspire everyone to get out there and have fun. Trust us, your body will thank you for it. If you'd like to contribute email uklifestyle@huffingtonpost.com or tag us on social media using the hashtag #HPFitness
Meet The Finalists In The Women's Sports Trust #BeAGameChanger Awards
Nicola Adams - Finalist, Sporting Role Model Category(01 of13)
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“Women should be able to take part in any sport they choose. We’re at a stage now where it’s all about equality. If a woman wants to play a sport, she can. Nothing and no one should stop her.”
Nicola Adams MBE is the first female in history to become an Olympic and Commonwealth Games Boxing Champion, taking Gold at both London 2012 and then again at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
‘The Nicola Adams effect’ has been credited with a 50% rise in the number of women participating in some form of boxing, and in 2012 she became the first woman to receive an award from the Boxing Writers' Club of Great Britain for outstanding services to her sport.
Nicola has been instrumental in helping to increase sports participation across the country. Most recently, Nicola has become an ambassador for Fight for Peace with a special focus on increasing female participation.
Nicola has also dedicated a large proportion of her time championing change. In 2012, she was the President of Us Girls, where she was crucial in securing funding and government awards for the charity, providing sustained opportunities for women in the most disadvantaged areas of the UK.
She also worked with UNICEF and the Commonwealth Games Federation ‘Best You Can Be’ campaign.
Outside of her sport, Nicola has become an inspiration to all. She was named the most influential LGBT person by The Independent in 2012. Her services to boxing were then recognised formally when she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year’s Honours. (credit:Women's Sport Trust)
Hannah Cockcroft MBE - Finalist, Sporting Role Model(02 of13)
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“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”
Hannah Cockroft MBE is a T34 Wheelchair Racer who has broken over 30 World Records and is double World, European and Paralympic Champion.
Hannah suffered two cardiac arrests, which resulted in damage to two areas of her brain leaving her with deformity to her legs and feet and weakened hips. Doctors predicted Hannah would never walk and would not live past her teenage years.
Proud to be recognised as a role model to other women, Hannah uses every opportunity possible to raise the profile for women in sport and encourage girls to get involved in sporting activity.
As Ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust, Hannah visits schools across the UK inspiring young people with her experiences and she also gives her time as a Patron and Ambassador for a range of charities including Whizz-Kidz, the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, Spider-Y,? the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and Why Not People?
Hannah uses her huge social media following to encourage young women and girls to follow her example in sport, directly engaging with individuals and sharing her thoughts.
Hannah was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to athletics. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Casey Stoney - Finalist, Sporting Role Model(03 of13)
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“We are trying to create a culture where we are a healthier nation and we want children to be active, yet we still don’t portray female sportspeople in a positive way. You can still be beautiful and be athletic. We need a culture shift.”
Former England Captain, Casey Stoney, received her first cap against France in 2000 and has gone on to represent her country 117 times. She also captained Team GB at London 2012.
A phenomenal sports person in her own right, Casey is also a powerful role model who has had a tremendous impact on women’s sport. In early 2014, she came out about her sexuality and becoming a mother in the hope that her openness would help and inspire others.
Taking a lead on speaking out about countries with antigay laws hosting major football events, Casey also has huge impact across the UK, visiting schools to talk about her career path and showing youngsters that there are no barriers, including to being a gay mother in football.
Casey is the only women to be appointed to the Professional Footballer’s Association (PFA) Management Committee, where she is a voice for the women’s game and spreads awareness about the important role of the PFA. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rimla Akhtar - Finalist, Ambassador Of Women's Sport(04 of13)
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Rimla Akhtar is chair of the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation (MWSF), a charity which uses sport as a vehicle for individual and community development for women. Captain of the 2005 British Muslim Women’s Futsal Team, Rimla also competed in the Women’s Islamic Games.
Rimla’s exponential rise in position and authority within the sports industry is unparalleled for a woman of her background. She is the first Asian and Muslim woman to be elected a member of the FA Council and a member of the FA Inclusion Advisory Board.
Rimla works tirelessly to speak out, campaign and use her influence to redress inequalities, working with NGBs to develop anti-discriminatory policies and support grassroots initiatives which promote anti-discrimination. Her continuous efforts have brought the agenda of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women’s sport front of mind, with people globally replicating her work.
In addition to organising community clubs, sports events and educational programmes, Rimla is a speaker, commentator and panellist at events and advises NGBs, Premier League Clubs and equality organisations. She has given evidence to Parliament’s Women in Sport Inquiry and works with Sports Minister Helen Grant, the DCMS and Sport England.
Rimla’s work has enabled the MWSF to reach thousands of women and girls of all ages and religious denominations. She is a true voice for women’s sport and is seen as an expert when it comes to the BAME female population. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Shelley Alexander - Finalist, Ambassador Of Women's Sport(05 of13)
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Shelley Alexander is the editorial lead for women's sport at the BBC. She was previously programme editor of Football Focus and also the sports news editor at BBC Radio 5 Live.
A member of the Football Association’s Inclusion Advisory Board, the Premier League/PFA Community Fund, chair of Kick It Out's Mentoring Committee and co-founder of Women in Football, Shelley has long been a champion of the importance of parity in women’s sports coverage.
Shelley has kept the spotlight on our elite sportswomen between major competitions by asking the likes of Alex Scott, Maggie Alphonsi, Pamela Cookey and Anna Watkins to take the reporter role on films spotlighting innovations in women's sport.
Shelley has also been the driving force behind creating high quality previews of elite female athletes ahead of major events and celebrating the pioneers of women's sport as well as commissioning investigative journalism to continue to shine a light on inequalities in the sports world.
Shelley works tirelessly to ensure women have a place in front of and behind the cameras, ensuring the BBC provides opportunities to bring more women into sports reporting, producing and commentating. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Tanni Grey-Thompson - Finalist, Ambassador Of Women's Sport(06 of13)
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Tanni Grey-Thompson is a former GB wheelchair racer who participated in 5 Paralympics winning a total of 11 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. She is also 6 times winner of the Women’s London Wheelchair Marathon.
Since retiring from competitive sport, she continues to make a huge contribution through her position and a member of the board of the London Marathon, LLDC and TfL. She has previously been a board member of UK Sport and British Athletics. As a member of the House of Lords she has effected great debate on a number of important topics such as the Welfare Reform and Legal Aid bill.
An inspiration and role-model for many, Tanni speaks out about living with a disability and the importance of sport in her life and recently carried out a piece of work for the Welsh Assembly to look differently at how PE is provided.
She is a passionate advocate for women’s sport, co-chairing the All Party Group on women in sport (with Barbara Keeley MP) and speaking in the House of Lords on issues around women / women in sport.
As a motivational speaker passionate about sport Tanni visits schools and business talking about her background, her sporting career and the choices that she has made throughout her life. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Le Tour Entier - Finalist, Inspiring Initiative(07 of13)
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“Established to call for a women’s race at the Tour de France, supported by wider changes in the sport, to help harness the full potential of women’s road cycling and develop the sport equitably and sustainably.”
This campaign calling for a women’s race at the Tour de France was spearheaded by four of the biggest names in the world of cycling and sport, Marianne Vos, Emma Pooley, Kathryn Bertrine and Chrissie Wellington, with the petition receiving nearly 100,000 signatures.
Using their public profiles and tenacity, the four ran an effective, well-judged campaign that influenced the very top of the sport at the UCI, the owners of the Tour de France, the Amaury Sports Association (A.S.O.) as well as politicians, the media, fellow professional sportspeople and recreational athletes.
The timing was right, the message was right and their hard work resulted the creation of the inaugural one day women's race - La Course by the Tour de France – on the final day of the men's Tour de France, held on 27 July 2014 in Paris. La Course was broadcast live in 24 countries around the world, and feedback was been overwhelmingly positive, from the viewing public, the media and the athletes and teams.
It has been applauded as a huge step forward and has already paved the way for progress across the board in cycling, and sportgenerally. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Wembley Match: England V Germany - Finalist, Inspiring Initiative(08 of13)
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In November 2014 England Women played their first ever match at the new Wembley Stadium in front of a record crowd of more than 45,000. The Lionesses lost 3-0 to European Champions Germany, but despite this disappointing result, the match was still a landmark occasion for women’s sport.
The match was broadcast live on BBC2, reflecting the BBC’s commitment to women’s football, and ensuring the match could be watched by the widest possible audience. At its peak the match had over 1 million viewers. It provided compelling evidence of the potential market available to progressive businesses willing to sponsor and invest in women’s sport.
Bringing England Women to Wembley reflects the huge growth of the women’s game in England in recent years, building on the success of The FA’s ‘Game Changer’ plan for women’s football 2013-18, and serving as preparation for Mark Sampson’s team on the road to the FIFA World Cup in Canada in 2015. The game also built on the success of the women’s football matches at Wembley during the Olympics; over 70,000 watched Great Britain beat Brazil at Wembley in 2012 and over 80,000 watched the USA beat Japan in the final.
According to Sport England’s Active People survey women’s football is the biggest team sport for women in England and the fourth-largest team sport overall. The FA aims to grow the women’s game so that it is the second largest team sport after men’s football by 2018. Events such as this serve to bring the women’s game to a wider audience and continue the growth of women’s football in England. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
EY Women Athletes Business Network - Finalist, Inspiring Initiative(09 of13)
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EY created the Women Athletes Business Network (WABN) in 2013 in the belief that elite women athletes represent an often untapped leadership pipeline in the workplace. As high achievers, influential leaders and team players, elite female athletes can make an impact, not only on the next generation of women in sport, but also within their communities, businesses and the world around them. To-date the network has connected over 650women athletes.
The WABN consists of two main components: an online community and a high profile Mentoring Programme. The goal of the network is to create an environment that supports elite female athletes who want to develop their leadership potential beyond their sporting careers. It connects them to other elite athletes who have already transitioned into a post-sport career, as well as successful business leaders through the flagship mentoringprogramme and the wider network of WABN business Advisors. By connecting women from business and sport, EY seeks to build powerful professional relationships, open doors and uncover new leadership opportunities and career paths.
The network not only supports athletes but also sponsors research. In a report released in October 2014, Making the connection: women, sport and leadership, the majority of women executives surveyed said that a sport background helped accelerate a woman’s leadership and career potential, and has a positive influence on hiring decisions.
The WABN also highlights the success stories of elite female athletes both to provide tips to elite female athletes in preparation for transition from their sporting careers and to provide inspirational stories for the next generation of women athletes. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Girlguiding has always focused on adventure, having fun outdoors and developing girls’ confidence from an early age. With half a million young members across the UK, Girlguiding are able to encourage a huge number of girls to get involved in sport.
Girlguiding currently runs a number of campaigns including ‘Girls Matter, our calls for change’ which demands that all schools teach body confidence and gender equality.
Their #BeBodyConfident campaign challenges stereotypes for girls to achieve a certain body shape, referencing sporting role models and physical achievements.
This work is backed up by the Girls’ Attitude Survey 2014, which considers ways that pressures - including body confidence, dieting and health - affect behaviour. Their campaigns continue to reinforce the importance of developing girls’ self-esteem. Peer Educators also deliver a ‘Free Being Me’ programme with activities designed to grow girls’ confidence.
Girlguidings’ role as partner to the Inspiring Women initiative demonstrates the need for sporting women and role models to be presented to and inspire young women in the UK. With supporters across the realm of women’s sport including Olympic gold medallist Nicole Cooke and adventurer Tori James, Girlguiding has worked hard to empower more girls to speak out on the issues that matter to them and make a difference in their owncommunities. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
This regional project was developed and delivered by the 7 South East County Sports Partnerships with a goal to recruit, develop and retain up to 500 women in coaching between April 2013 and March 2015.
Across a range of sports over 400 women engaged with the project by January 2015. A women’s only FA Level 1 courseensured 18 women were appropriately qualified to coach football, and the first Women’s Only Level 1 Cycling course wasalso introduced. Female cricket coaches were able to achieve Level 2 and have become lead coaches in traditionally maleenvironments.
The project has resulted in improved engagement with National Governing Bodies of Sport with at least three further regions now planning to deliver a female focused coaching initiatives. Project 500 have provided specific CPD and networking events to unite female coaches when they might have previously felt in the minority.
The pilot project reached over 1,700 women and as a result a National Project 5000 will be launched in April 2015.
Project 500 has received national recognition in the form of an Impact Award at the recent CSPN Conference and has gainedattention across a range of national and local media following the success of #WomensWednesday, a joint initiative with theFemale Coach Network. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
Fat Girl’s Guide To Running - Finalist, Inspiring Participation(12 of13)
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Julie Creffield was inspired to start the “Too Fat to Run Campaign” after she was told that she was too fat to participate in the Brighton Marathon, which of course she then went on to complete.
Julie has done much to challenge this mind-set, getting groups of women running together, enjoying running and taking part in races through her website.
Truly understanding the barriers that women face, Julie frequently delivers talks and workshops to health organisations and businesses, explaining that it is ok to enjoy sport or running without any weight loss goals, and also to encourage new women into sport.
Julie offers huge support through her coaching sessions, blog updates and weekly social media chats, enabling women to take up exercise and feel they are not alone.
One of the main participation projects Julie coordinates is #OneBigFatRun, a free, monthly virtual 5K where women challenge themselves and their friends to cover the distance without involving the pressures of a competitive race. Around 2500 women have taken part over the past 18 months.
Partnered with This Girl Can, Julie’s campaign has approximately 15,000 followers across social media and massive plans for the future. All of this achieved with sheer determination and a small business start-up loan. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)
This Girl Can - Finalist, Inspiring Participation(13 of13)
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Two million fewer women than men exercise regularly in England. These women know the benefits of physical activity, and 75% of them said they’d like to do more. So what’s stopping them?
Sport England discovered a number of barriers – from worrying about sweating to how they look in Lycra – all with a common theme: the fear of being judged.
With this in mind, they developed This Girl Can. A national campaign bringing together a wide range of partner organisations to inspire women to get rid of the fear of judgement and get active.
It celebrates women of all sizes and abilities, who are out there wiggling, jiggling, moving and proving that itdoesn’t matter how you do it, the important thing is you’re doing something.
Since launching, This Girl Can has spread not just across England, but the entire world, with more than 25 million views online and thousands upon thousands of tweets, likes and shares on social media. Schools have used its message as a way to encourage after-school activities, and it has already been the basis of university dissertations and parliamentary discussions.
But most importantly, women everywhere have been inspired to become ‘girls who can’. (credit:Women's Sports Trust)