FOUR women, including a Basingstoke mother, are set to take on the world’s toughest row to raise awareness of the climate crisis.

The four women, including Katherine Antrobus from Basingstoke, will be rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua in December.

They will use their campaign to raise awareness of climate change and raise money for charities protecting those on the frontlines of the crisis.

The team, WaveBreakers, includes Katherine, Hatty Cader, Bobbie Mellor and Hila Coggans. They began this journey together as strangers in 2022. 

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As climate change intensifies, WaveBreakers is aiming for a net-zero carbon crossing and will be supporting WWF, which runs programmes to defend wild places, restore forests, and keep our oceans healthy.

Only 36 female crews have attempted to row the Atlantic, and more people have climbed Everest. The women will compete in the challenge alongside 40 to 50 teams from around the world. They will be taking everything they could possibly need with them for up to 55 days at sea and will be confined to a 28-foot boat.

As well as raising money for charity, the team hope to inspire others to take on their own epic challenges.

Mum of three Katherine said: “I want to inspire my children to have a thirst for adventure, to work hard, and to achieve in their lives too.”

Katherine has already been to her children’s schools to give a talk on the impact of climate change and host a poster-making competition for the students.

"As a crew, we span four decades and we eat, sleep and, of course. row in the boat for all 3,000 miles in two hours on, two hours off shifts, 24 hours a day. It's totally unassisted - we even make our own drinking water. We expect it to take about 45 days. More people have summited Everest than attempted this row."

Bobbie, the team’s skipper and head of sustainability at Vodafone Group, said: “I was very much the ‘un-sporty’ one at school, and can’t believe I’ll now be rowing across the Atlantic. In addition to the physical challenge, I hope we can inspire people to live more sustainably, by showing them we can cross the Atlantic with zero footprints.”

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Tthe challenge will push them to their absolute limits, the women will battle with sleep deprivation, salt sores, and physical extremes. Left simply with their own thoughts, the expanse of the ocean, and the task of making it safely to the other side in Antigua.

Katherine is hosting a WaveBreakers Quiz Night at Old Basing Village Hall on June 17 to raise funds for their campaign.

Tickets are on sale and the price includes a Caribbean-themed meal from catering company Global Kitchen.