Female rowing record breakers hailed

FOUR YOUNG British athletes who wrote their names in to the history books after tackling the world's toughest rowing race have been hailed as 'an inspiration to women'.
Handout photo of Team Row like a Girl, Lauren Morton, Bella Collins , Olivia Bolesworth and Georgina Purdy celebrate as they arrive at English Harbour to complete the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.Handout photo of Team Row like a Girl, Lauren Morton, Bella Collins , Olivia Bolesworth and Georgina Purdy celebrate as they arrive at English Harbour to complete the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
Handout photo of Team Row like a Girl, Lauren Morton, Bella Collins , Olivia Bolesworth and Georgina Purdy celebrate as they arrive at English Harbour to complete the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

Friends Lauren Morton, 26, Bella Collins, 23, Olivia Bolesworth, 27, and Georgina Purdy, 23, took just 40 days, eight hours and 26 minutes to row the 3,000 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

The women, competing as team Row Like A Girl, punched the air and hugged each other as they landed at English Harbour shortly after 1.15pm local time (5.15pm GMT), with hundreds of emotional supporters cheering them on from dry land.

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In doing so, they became the fastest all-female team to have completed the challenge, beating the previous record by five days.

Skipper Morton, from Collingham, near Wetherby, who took part in the race two years ago but had to be rescued after 96 days, said: “We’re over 
the moon to make it here to Antigua and to do it in record time really is the icing on the cake.

“This race challenges you
so much, mentally and physically. We’re exhausted but can’t wait for the party to start in Antigua.”