Posted by A freelance TV producer from Bristol is set to enter the record books as the skipper of the world’s first all-women crew to row around the British Isles.
Belinda Kirk, 35, is due to lead her team up the River Thames to Tower Bridge, London, tomorrow at the end of an epic 50-day, 2,000-mile journey to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity.
Belinda Kirk: Seagals team leader from Bristol
The four women started off against a team of men in the Virgin GB Row – the world’s toughest rowing race, sponsored by Sir Richard Branson.
The men’s team were forced to give up after just two weeks and the women carried on alone for five more weeks.
During their seven-week journey their 24-foot long boat, named Go Commando, has been swamped by huge waves which almost sank them, and have narrowly avoided being smashed in two by ships that never saw them.
One member of the team broke a finger firing off a flare to force a ship on collision course to change direction. Unable to grip her oar, she rowed the last 250 miles with her tied her hand to the oar.
They have been bombed by the RAF after accidentally entering a live firing range and stalked by killer whales.
In the last 50 miles they have had ration water after power failed on their boat Go Commando, which meant they could not use their water maker, which turns seawater into drinking water.
Sir Richard Branson said: “Go Seagals! I knew I was right to back to girls in beating the boys in the first ever Virgin GB Row and I’m over the moon that such brave women have achieved a World Record in such a spectacular fashion!
“This is why we set up the Virgin Trophy – Belinda, Angela, Laura and Beverley have pushed through extreme tiredness, hunger and serious injury to battle on and achieve the goal they set out to achieve.
“Britain has something to be proud of this summer after all! I hope they will get all of Britain’s support when they record up the Thames on Thursday to claim their World Record and the Trophy!”
The team is made up of Belinda Kirk, plus American Angela Madsen, Laura Thomasson from Kent and Beverley Ashton from Oxfordshire.
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