World’s Toughest Row challenge awaits Cromarty bed and breakfast rower who aims to become part of first Scottish women’s crew to row 3000 miles across Atlanticn Ocean from Tenerife to Antigua
FIONA Deakin is preparing herself for the challenge of a lifetime as she attempts to be part of the first Scottish female crew ever to row the Atlantic.
The Cromarty bed and breakfast proprietor is one of four women that form the Scotland the Wave team which will compete at the World’s Toughest Row.
The 58-year-old will skipper the crew looking to make history with Andrena McShane-Kerr from Glasgow, Nicky Matthews from Arbroath and Heather McCallum from Dunoon.
The challenge, which starts on December 12, involves crews rowing over 3000 miles from La Gomera in Tenerife to Antigua in the Caribbean and is expected to take at least six weeks.
Deakin, who is a member of Strathpeffer and DIstrict Coast Rowing Club and Cromarty Community Rowing Club, has rowed nationally and internationally in the past.
But she says the challenge that awaits her at the end of the year will be unlike anything which she has done.
She said: “I am a skiff rower from Cromarty and have never done anything like this before.
“I do a lot of coastal rowing, but this is a complete different boat and oars that we will be using.
“The boat we have is seven metres long with just two oars and a moving seat. We have trained a lot but you can’t really train for being on the water for six to seven weeks.
“It is totally unassisted crossing, we don’t get off the boat and don’t see anyone else.
“We will row 12 hours a day, in two hour periods and then the two hours in between we have to find time to eat and sleep.”
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Despite never having taken on a challenge of this magnitude, Deakin was inspired to take part following the death of a close friend.
Three years ago, her friend Lisa Wishart died after suffering a brain haemorrhage. Deakin said Lisa was a fun loving sporty individual and one of the last messages she sent to her inspired her to take up the Atlantic challenge.
She said: “Lisa was really sporty. The last message she sent to me was ‘let’s have some fun.’
She is right as you don’t know what is around the corner. So why not do something like this.
“It makes you rethink life. When I saw an advert looking for a fourth rower for an all female crew I applied. I had never met the other three crew members and we got on really well. Personalities are as important as fitness on this challenge as we will be on the boat for six weeks.”
“I have always wanted to do something amazing. I think that I have not achieved as much as I could have.”
Deakin is already putting in the hard training in preparation for the World’s Toughest Row as well as competing in the World Skiff Championships in Stranraer in July.
She swims in the Cromarty Firth most mornings and trains on rowing machines, as well as strength conditioning at Black Isle Leisure Centre in Fortrose.
She also does regular yoga classes at Cromarty Village Hall.
The crew are looking to raise £120,000 to compete in the challenge and have launched a Scotland the Wave Go Fund Me page which has raised £86,249 so far.
Deakin says it will be the toughest challenge that she has ever face, but she is determined to get to the other side.
He said; “It is exciting and something that has been going on for a couple of years now.
“We are four ordinary women and we still have a lot of fundraising to do. A lot of people who do this challenge are wealthy men who buy the boats. We are at La Gomera watching the race this year and saw the boats and equipment that is used. Most of them were self funded and bought the boats themselves.
“We have had to raise the money ourselves and it makes it a better journey. It has been brilliant the last few years and getting sponsors. It is hard work but it has all been pretty amazing.
“Who knows how hard it going to be, but we will have trained very hard for it. So we will do it and get to the other side.”
