Cheeky Rower eyes Open 60

22nd April 2010

Scottish rower Lia Ditton, who has just finished the Barcelona World Race, garnering attention for her naked rowing pictures, has announced that she will head straight into a campaign for the 2010 Barcelona World Race. Irish solo rower, Sean McGowan, meanwhile, is still 800 miles from the Antigua finish.

Lia Ditton and her rowing partner Mick Birchall finished the transatlantic race in just under 73 days. Ditton, who has competed in the OSTAR and Route du Rhum offshores, will now concentrate on raising funds for a shot at the Barcelona World Race with Phil Sharp, starting on December 31.

Ditton, a model and artist as well as ocean adventurer, is an eccentric or a visionary, depending on your view. After the OSTAR, she installed her 35ft trimaran in London's Tate Gallery after finishing the race, living onboard in the gallery for 28 days.

She and Birchall decided to forgo having an autopilot for the rowing race and instead fitted a stereo system to their boat.

Ditton's naked rowing is not uncommon, with ocean rowers shedding clothes that inevitably get caked in salt, causing chafing.

The site tracking her Transatlantic race is here.

Irish rower Sean McGowan's Facebook page is here.

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Published in Rowing

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