Clifton rower part of first female crew to row around Britain - record attempt

Fancy a ticket to win four girls and a boat?

All female rowing team launch lottery to raise funds for round Britain record attempt

Four ordinary but intrepid women plan to row 2010 miles around Britain in 2010 to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity. Nicknamed the ‘SeaGals’, the girls are inviting companies and generous members of the public to buy tickets for a unique prize draw to win the rights to their expedition as they undertake the extraordinary challenge to be the first women to row around Britain.

The prize draw, set-up to help the SeaGals raise funds for their chosen charity Help for Heroes and to ensure a safe trip, will see them raffling themselves off for £150 a ticket.  The holder of the winning ticket will be awarded ‘lead sponsorship’ of the SeaGals and their expedition.  Not only will the winner get to add their name to the title of the SeaGals expedition, they’ll also have the opportunity to fully brand the team’s 24ft rowing boat and their oars.

Taking part in the inaugural ‘GB Row Challenge 2010’, the SeaGals are rowing in a specially designed ocean rowing boat competing against other, all-male, crews. They will row through the treacherous waters of the English Channel, the North and Irish seas and the North Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to set a ****ss World Record by becoming the first women to row around Britain.

Expedition leader Belinda Kirk, 34, from Bristol, said: “This is a unique and testing challenge and we really need financial support to give us the best possible chance of success.  We will be completely unaided throughout the race, which means there won’t be any back-up boats or assistance with navigation during the month long expedition. We’re urging companies and individuals to buy a lottery ticket and help us in our bid to set a World Record, undertake an unbelievable test of our own physical and mental endurance, and raise awareness and funds for Help for Heroes.”

The SeaGals have already received encouragement from some illustrious supporters. TV presenter and explorer Bear Grylls said: “This is a great challenge for a great cause and undertaken by great girls!” and explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes added: “This sounds like a really worthwhile but arduous challenge. Very good luck to your team with it and your fundraising for such a good cause.” 

The race commences from Tower Bridge in London on 1 June 2010 and will take around 26 days to complete. 

The ‘Oarsome Foursome’ includes Angela Madsen, who already holds world records for being the first women to row across the Indian Ocean and the first disabled woman to row across two oceans, and Amy Green, one of the first all-woman team to row from London to Paris in 2008.  The SeaGals skipper, Belinda Kirk, is also no stranger to gruelling challenges having completed 12 major international expeditions in the past 15 years, including a trip to China’s Desert of Death.  Finally Laura Thomasson- the SeaGals youngest crew member- is a Royal Navy Nurse and has twice represented the Royal Navy at The World Indoor Rowing Championships.  She has also coxed crews rowing across the English Channel and taken part in charity endurance races including the London Southampton run in aid of the ‘Not forgotten’ association.

For more information on the prize-draw and to obtain one of only 100 lottery tickets up for grabs, please visit www.seagals.co.uk.