After 59 days rowing at sea, Victoria makes it to the Caribbean
After 59 days at sea – paddling over 3,000 miles on a round-the-clock basis, Victoria Carroll and her teammate have arrived safely in the Caribbean this afternoon, Wednesday, February 9.
Victoria, who has just completed The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, saw her and her team-mate Saf Greenwood row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, to Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua and Barbuda.
Victoria was born in Buckinghamshire but spent much of her youth in Sneem, where her grandfather, Noel, is originally from and now lives, having retired back to his home village from the UK.
He is one of the legendary Casey brothers from Sneem. He is also a top rowing coach with an impressive list of accolades to his name, particularly in the UK, where he rowed for Vesta Rowing Club, now Victoria's club. He currently coaches for Kenmare Rowing Club.
Noel has spent nearly two months tracking Victoria as she faced the gruelling challenge, and despite the long and challenging 59 days, she was in great spirits as she finished the event this week.
The Talisker Whisky Challenge is a rowing event like no other, with crews utterly unsupported on the ocean and facing numerous physical and mental challenges as they battle sleep deprivation, seasickness, physical injuries, sores from saltwater, and unpredictable weather conditions. No sail aids or support are available to rowers.
The two girls, rowing under the team-name Tideway Odyssey, had to row 24 hours a day, in shifts, over the past 59 days at sea. They took to the water on December 12 in their boat, Vesta, named in honour of their rowing club, and 59 days later, they completed their epic journey.
They were the second all-female doubles team to arrive and the fifth pair. Theirs was the 32nd boat to finish.
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