Team Astro to Atlantic got their Atlantic Row campaign underway by holding a Launch Party at the Crabshell Inn in Kingsbridge.

The four women, Helen Symons, Gemma Harvey, Lou Read and Chloe Harvey, who are currently team members of Kingsbridge and Salcombe Hockey Club, are swapping their sticks for oars to take on the monumental challenge of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.

Starting in La Gomera and rowing to Antigua in December 2018 as part of the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, the team will will row 3,000 miles, rowing 2 hours on, 2 hours off, and they will be facing sleep deprivation, 40 foot waves, salt sores, exhaustion and sea sickness in the hope of breaking the all female fours crew world record which currently stands at 40 days and 8 hours.

The Launch Party evening began with a short video of the conditions that they will face at sea, followed by a presentation from the girls touching on the motivation behind the challenge, their progress so far and their twelve-month schedule ahead, all in the hope of inspiring sponsors to join them on their epic adventure.

So far they have been overwhelmed with the response to their campaign with pledges of both financial and practical support. Along the way the girls hope to raise money for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, a charity that they feel is essential to everyone in Devon. To get to the start line they will need to raise in excess of £100,000 to purchase their boat, safety equipment, race entry and complete their rigorous training.

They are seeking sponsorship and support from local businesses to help four local women achieve something extraordinary. They would like to say a huge thank you to all those who attended and helped make it a successful evening. If you would like to know more about their campaign you can visit their website: www.astro-to-atlantic.co.uk or contact them on: [email protected]