Peterborough rower's 'oar-some' round Britain challenge will raise vital charity cash

A Peterborough rower is hoping to put her name in the record books with a huge round Britain challenge.

Kate Crosby (59) will be one of eight rowers from across the country taking part in the ‘row against the flow’ challenge – where they are hoping to be the first in history to complete a non-stop, anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Great Britain in a rowing boat.

Charity is close to Kate’s heart

More importantly, Kate will be hoping to raise thousands of pounds for Prostate Cancer UK on their epic voyage, which starts on June 1. Kate’s husband fought cancer last year, so the cause is close to her heart. Other members of the team will be raising money for other causes – and Kate has appealed for help to reach a £10,000 target.

She said: “Last year, my husband fought prostate cancer bravely, and that’s why I’m so passionate about raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK, as my chosen charity. It is the most common cause of cancer for men, and early detection and treatment is a lifesaver! In the UK, 1 in 8 men will get Prostate Cancer in their

lifetime, and I want to make sure others get the support they need, just like he did.”

Peterborough health and safety specialists, The Influential Management Group, have generously supported Kate with the cost of the row.

Kate can usually be found rowing with Peterborough City Rowing Club at the weekend. But she has always wanted to do something more adventurous after experiencing a few days of ocean rowing last year.

She said: “This epic challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity to push myself to my physical and mental limits and support important causes at the same time.”

Team won’t touch land for six weeks

The ‘Counternavig8 GB’ crew of two men and six women will also be conducting environmental research on their crew.

The crew will row as two shifts, for two hours on, two hours off, twenty-four hours a day, for an expected six weeks to complete the row, which will be fully unsupported and without touching land.

They will carry a water maker and all their own food, supplies and equipment for the duration. Their boat ‘Nanook’ is a 44ft long ocean rowing boat, supplied by Leven Brown Adventure and has been built to withstand the toughest conditions. When not rowing, the crew can catch up on sleep in narrow berths in the two tiny cabins at either end, or spend time collecting data on any whales, dolphins and porpoises encountered during their row to support research being carried out by the Orca charity.

The challenge, a row of nearly 2000 miles, is generally regarded as one of the toughest in the world. The prevailing British weather and complicated tidal patterns can make rowing around Great Britain even harder than rowing across an ocean. Rowing anticlockwise adds even more difficulty, and the team will face an ultimate test battling the elements.

if you feel inspired to support Kate and make a donation to help her reach her target, then please donate via her GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/ymazmh-kates-round-gb-row-for-prostate-cancer-uk