Leanne Maiden, a mother-of-two from Bearsden has become the first South African solo female to conquer "the world's toughest row" – a 3,000-mile voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from La Gomera to Antigua.

The 42-year-old who is originally from Johannesburg spent 66 days and five hours at sea. During this time, she navigated 20-foot waves and brutal temperatures: from lows of 10 degrees during the night shifts at the start into the 30’s with added humidity as she approached the finish.

The osteopath set out from the Canary Islands on December 13 on her own, having originally planned to row as a pair. After her partner pulled out just a few months before the start date, Leanne decided to row the 3,000 miles by herself in a bid to raise money for charity and ultimately, transform her life.

The journey, initially projected to take anywhere between 60 and 80 days, proved to be a monumental test of endurance, both physically and mentally. Despite a battle of the elements during the row, Leanne rowed as many as 70 nautical miles in 24-hour periods. She typically rows for up to 14 hours per day, with no toilet on board – just a bucket.

Leanne, who took on the challenge following sponsorship from Scotch whisky brand Wolfcraig Distillers, said: “This experience has changed my life. I hope I’ve shown other mums that anything is possible. I think when you become a mum, you can lose part of your identity. This has helped me rediscover who I am and what I’m capable of.

“I am so glad to be back with my husband and kids – while I’ve missed them terribly, I think I’ll be a better, more present, more confident, mother and partner having been through this incredible experience.

I'm a mum of two and I conquered "the world's toughest row" after more than two months at sea