All-female team takes on Atlantic ocean row for Telethon
An all-female team with no rowing experience will face unpredictable winds, waves and seasickness when they traverse 4800km across the Atlantic Ocean for Telethon.
Australians Charlie Smith, Ena Ladd, Fiona McTavish, and Karla Pound will push themselves to the limits by rowing non-stop — alternating two hour shifts — for The World’s Toughest Row in December next year.
The 3000 nautical mile journey will take them from San Sebastián de La Gomera in Spain’s Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua. It’s expected to take between five and seven weeks.
But they are not just doing it for the challenge, they will be raising much-needed funds for sick kids across WA.
Telethon will be put on the global stage, with the crew proudly plastering its logo on the boat as it crosses the ocean. And once the quartet has past the finish line, the boat and other row equipment will be sold and the proceeds donated to the charity.
Perth-based teammate Ms Smith said it just made sense to donate to Telethon as it is a charity that has been close to her heart since she was a kid.
“I’m Perth born and raised and hence why Telethon came about as our charity because I’ve grown up with it on my screen and attended the weekend events when I was younger,” she said.
“I know that the girls and I will have some really difficult days on the ocean during our row but I think drawing on the fact that what we are experiencing is so minor in comparison to the challenges our Telethon kids and their families battle on the daily will be our driving force to make this row as successful as we can.
“Our boat is about $150,000 so once we sell that at the end of our race that’ll be going back to Telethon. We’re hoping to donate in excess of that and get the community to help us out as well.”
Working as a deckhand and dive instructor for almost 10 years, Ms Smith was looking for her next water-based adventure when she moved back to Perth during COVID.
When she asked her friends to join, it was a resounding yes.
“I am personally driven by challenges in all forms and when Charlie mentioned this one to me it was out of this world, I didn’t really understand what she asked me but I immediately said yes,” Ms Ladd said.
Ms Pound, who stars in the most recent season of Alone Australia, said she was doing the row to see what she was “truly made of”.
“I’m always chasing the next adventure and this is going to be a doozy,” she said.
“Working in the marine industry, women are a minority so I like to push the boundaries of what we can actually do and aim to do it better,” Ms McTavish added.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by inspiring women throughout my life so I would love to pass this on to future generations, if I can. The added bonus is doing this with three awesome friends.”
Training has been hard for the four-person crew as they live on all different sides of the country but they are planning to spend some time in the UK to get their hours up on their specially made boat this year.
The R45 boat is made to endure ocean rowing with spots for three rowers to row simultaneously and a cabin to sleep in.
However, the boat isn’t fish proof with the team’s number one concern being Marlin strikes as the large fish is known to attack boats with its spike, which can pierce the hull and cause flooding.
Smith said she was looking forward to whatever Mother Nature threw at the crew.
“Mother Nature, she is incredibly unpredictable, and I think we’re not really going to know until we’re out there,” she said.
“I think as far as maybe using a bucket as a toilet is going to be a challenge in itself as well.
“Me and the girls we have a wealth of maritime knowledge so I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else other than those three.”
To see their journey or to donate visit the Atlantic Waterbirds donation page or the team’s Instagram.