Cambridge University student begins solo Atlantic row

A Cambridge University student has begun a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean.

21-year-old university student Zara Lachlan departed from Lagos on the Portuguese Algarve on Sunday 27th October 2024.

At the end of her challenge, Zara will be the first woman and youngest person ever to complete any mainland trans-Atlantic crossing and will become a world record holder.

The challenge will take approximately 90 days, and see Zara row 3,600 nautical miles (4,100 miles) to French Guiana.

Zara will be carrying 800kg of supplies in her boat including 5,500kcal of meals and snacks per day – which she will be eating cold.

Every two days she will need to descend into the water to clean the underside of the boat and to check for damage.

Having just completed her physics degree at Loughborough University, Zara, will be joining the Army on her return as a technical officer.

Zara said it is going to be a gruelling and fantastic adventure:

"I’m expecting conditions to be really tough with unpredictable weather; the risk of bumping into Orca, the 11 different species of sharks and marlin that are known to puncture the hulls of small boats; not to mention managing 20ft waves in an 24ft long boat. 

"My plan is to row for five hours then sleep for 20 minutes at a time, only breaking this cycle during extreme weather conditions or when I need to clean my boat – something I’m not looking forward to!"

Through this challenge Zara is hoping to inspire women and girls into sport and she is also planning to host a talk from the ocean for schools across the UK.

She will be raising money for two charities through her record-breaking trip, Team Forces and Women in Sport.