A 22-year-old runner and rower has become the youngest woman ever to row around the British mainland, after crossing the finish line beneath Tower Bridge, London, with team Nautilus.
Grace Church was part of a team which completed the GB Row Challenge, covering approximately 2,000 miles around the coastline of Britain without external support.
Her team are set to achieve a new Guinness World Records title for the fastest mixed crew of six, finishing in 38 days, three hours, 41 minutes and 25 seconds.
As Afloat has reported, the five-man crew team Rowmads completed the challenge last week in 32 days, 30 minutes and 58 seconds.
They are the first and fastest team of five to complete the GB Row Challenge unsupported.
The GB Row Challenge is widely regarded as one of the toughest rowing races in the world.
Crews must navigate approximately 2,000 miles around the coastline of Britain without external support, relying entirely on their preparation, teamwork and determination to overcome some of the most challenging waters in Europe.
The team's Guinness World Records title is subject to verification by the Ocean Rowing Society.
When asked how it felt to have earned her place in the history books at just 22 years old, Church said it has been “the best experience I could’ve ever asked for”.
“Since I started rowing in my early teens, I’ve always said that one day I wanted to row around the UK. To now be able to say we actually did it feels surreal. It’s a dream come true, and I’ll forever be grateful for this unforgettable journey of a lifetime!"
The achievement places Grace and team Nautilus among an elite group, with fewer than 40 people ever having completed a continuous, unsupported circumnavigation of Great Britain by rowing boat.
“Swimming together in Mousehole, Cornwall, after pushing hard through the heat, seeing whales and dolphins, and watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets are memories I’ll never forget,”she said.
“ But more than anything, the best part was getting to spend every day with such amazing people. I feel so grateful to be a part of this team, laughing and joking all together is what made this experience the best.”
“The hardest part for me was probably the 2 - 4am shifts, when I struggled to stay awake, or coping with the cold and putting wet kit back on,”she said.
“Steering through strong winds and tides was tough at times, but then getting to surf the waves of speeds up to 10 knots was pretty cool! So if that’s the lowest point, I think we all did pretty well, I couldn’t be prouder of what we achieved together as a crew.”
The expedition has also made a significant contribution to marine science. Throughout the journey, the crews collected environmental data on microplastic pollution, biodiversity, underwater noise pollution, sea temperature and salinity.
The data will now be analysed by scientists at the University of Portsmouth before being shared through The Crown Estate's Marine Data Exchange, one of the world's largest open access collections of marine industry data.
The research contributes to a growing long term record of the health of UK coastal waters and will help scientists better understand the effects of human activity on marine ecosystems.
