Linda Brewer from Haxby to attempt new Transatlantic rowing world record (From York Press)

Linda Brewer from Haxby to attempt new Transatlantic rowing world record

7:49am Monday 16th November 2009

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CHRISTMAS will be spent at sea for a woman attempting to set a new world record for rowing across the Atlantic.

Linda Brewer went to school and grew up in York and her parents currently live in Haxby and her brother in Skelton.

She will not be spending Christmas with them this year though, as she will be halfway through an attempt to row the 3,000 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua as part of a 12-man team.

Linda, who is raising money for York Hospital’s special care baby unit, said the rowing team comprised herself, three other women and eight men. While six of the crew row the other six will sleep, meaning each crew member will be rowing for 12 hours each day.

Training for the challenge, which they hope to complete in less than 30 days and set a new world record, has been paramount.

Linda said: “I think my level of fitness was already very high before I started the intensive training. I used to run marathons and have done lots of rowing. I have been doing full-time specific training for about six weeks. I do about two to three hours of cardio a day and twice a week weight training. At weekends I do a lot of rowing.”

The crew will have to carry their food with them and eat thousands of calories a day. It will largely comprise freeze dried products developed by NASA for astronauts.

“The chilli con carne is supposed to be nice,” Linda said.

She said she was doing the challenge for the experience.

She said: “My life is quite comfortable. I don’t find myself being challenged often but I think this project will push me out of my comfort zone, will test me physically and mentally and hopefully I will learn something about myself. I also want to raise money for the York Special Care Baby unit – they provided vital care and support when my brother’s twins were born and I’d like to be able to give something back to them.”

Rowing across the Atlantic is not without its risks however. Perhaps the biggest danger the crew faces is being hit by a tanker but other dangers include waves flipping the boat over, meaning that sleeping crew members would have to get out of the boat while under the water. Linda, who currently lives in London and works for Shell, sets off on her challenge on December 6.

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