The Atlantic rowing team aims to inspire women and girls through sport
We have partnered with ‘There She Rows’ – a team of four women rowing 3,000-miles unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean to inspire the next generation of girls through sport.
The team are partaking in the Atlantic Challenge – the race starts in December from La Gomera in the Canary Islands and finishes in Antigua in the Caribbean. The crossing is expected to take in excess of 40 days.
The weather and conditions are extreme – the team will row 2 hours on 2 hours off, 24 hours a day for the duration of the crossing, and will contend with up to 40ft waves, storms and potential capsizes.
The race is deemed one of the toughest challenges in the world, but the team hope the impact of their efforts is bigger than themselves.
“We want to use this row as a platform to inspire more women and girls to get into sport and help to address some of the huge inequalities that still exist,” There She Rows team captain and CSM’s Women’s Sport Lead, Victoria Monk, said.
“More than half of girls will quit playing sport by age 17 and there are fewer women than men exercising at every age group – missing out on its benefits in both personal and professional lives.
“More than 90% of female executives played sport as a teenager [Why female athletes make winning Entrepreneurs, a report by Ernst and Young and ESPN W] – we want to inspire more girls to get into sport and support the female leaders of the next generation.
“To say, if we can cross an Ocean in a tiny rowing boat (having never rowed before), then you can be inspired to cross your own Atlantic Ocean, whatever that may look like for you.”
We are resolutely committed to supporting and advancing women’s sport – this partnership with There She Rows builds on that commitment; to inspire and enable change at every level, from grassroots through to elite.
The team are raising money for the Women’s Sport Trust, a leading UK charity whose aim is to raise the visibility and increase the impact of women’s sport. They are also supporting Endometriosis UK and the Teenage Cancer Trust, two other causes close to their hearts.
Matt Vandrau, Group CEO, said “Women’s sport is at an incredibly exciting time across the whole industry – we know first-hand from being involved in more conversations with brands, rights holders and athletes than ever before. We also recognise that women’s sport has a role to play beyond the realms of the pitch. That’s why we’re extremely proud to be supporting There She Rows on this venture, as they prepare to row across the Atlantic Ocean to inspire the next generation of women in sport.
