Rowers aim for world record in six-weeks Atlantic mission for charity

TWO women are set to swap dry land for towering waves as they embark on a daring 3,000-mile row across the Atlantic Ocean aiming to break a world record and raise thousands for a youth mental health charity.

- by LEWIS CLARKE

Jess Smiles (left) and Beth Murphy will row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in support of The Wave Project

Jess Smiles from North Devon and Beth Murphy from Surrey will be the only female duo competing in the 2025 World's Toughest Row.

The pair will depart from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on Friday, December 12, rowing unsupported for around six weeks in a bid to reach Antigua early next year.

Their mission is twofold: to challenge the current world record for a women’s pair, which stands at 45 days, and to raise £10,000 for The Wave Project, a UK charity that uses Surf Therapy to support young people struggling with their mental health.