2027 Race Entrants

We, The Salty Seagals, aka the Blister sisters, are four intrepid women, Julia, Nancy (mother and daughter), Emma and Lou (rowing buddies) in our 60s, 20s, 40’s and 50’srespectively.

Julia and Nancy recently lost three members of their family in the space of 18 months (Julia’s mother, father and brother) and the realization of how short life can be kick started this adventure – if not now when?!

We are all members of Pendeen Gig Club who row out of Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall into Mounts Bay and the Atlantic. We are a retired academic, a sailor, a nurse and a teacher and share a deep love of the sea, community and adventure. Our chosen charities reflect this: we regularly witness how ghost nets, pollution and mankind’s general detritus impact on the sea, the coasts and wildlife; we all understand the importance of community empowerment and have actively promoted this in our careers and we all love an adventure!

Our charities:

Water Aid ‘When a community gets clean water for the first time, it’s the start of something truly life-changing. Together, with your help, we’ll keep working until everyone, everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene’.

Fathoms Free ‘is a group of volunteer divers who protect marine wildlife and the environment for everyone’s benefit by removing ALDFG (abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear) and other marine debris from the coastal waters of Cornwall and Devon’.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) ‘was formed in 1988 when a few like-minded divers got together in response to a mass mortality of common seals in the Wash area of East Anglia, to do what they could for the rescue effort in response to the Phocine Distemper Virus epidemic that resulted in thousands of deaths. Since then BDMLR has been involved in the rescue of marine wildlife after every major marine disaster, including the Braer shipwreck in Shetland, the Sea Empress grounding in Milford Haven, and the Napoli shipwreck in Dorset, and seal rescue has remained a major component of the BDMLR’s work, with medics rescuing animals in all seasons around the UK’.

Treyla, ‘the Cornish word for change, is an award winningcharity that works with families and young people to improve mental health, well-being and promote positive change in West Cornwall’s most under-resourced communities’.

None of us are new to adventures and challenges; for example, Nancy has sailed the Atlantic (but in the opposite direction!) and the rest of us have taken part in the Three Rivers Race, The Great London River Race, and the Vogalonga in Venice  (although we were shipwrecked in that – not something we wish to repeat!).

The whole of Pendeen Gig Club are supporting us for what is without doubt our most exciting and terrifying challenge yet and we hope to make them proud!

On the 85th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein in 2027, four serving British Army soldiers will row the Atlantic Ocean in one of the world’s toughest endurance races, honouring a battle defined by courage, unity, and sacrifice. El Alamein was fought by ordinary men enduring extraordinary hardship so that others might live on — a legacy that continues to shape military service today.

As four fathers, this expedition carries particular meaning. We are choosing to spend months away from our own families to remember those who never returned home, and to stand alongside the families who continue to live with that absence. Every mile rowed is time taken from our own children, in recognition of children whose parent never came home.

By placing ourselves in sustained physical and mental hardship at sea, we aim to lead through action and show that the values forged at El Alamein — resilience, selflessness, and commitment to others — remain lived and relevant. Alongside the crossing, we are raising vital funds for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the Royal Tank Regiment Benevolent Fund, and the REME Charity, supporting bereaved children, serving soldiers, veterans, and military families.

Against The Tide is our campaign to inspire hope through movement showing that even the toughest tides in life can be turned one small step or stroke at a time. By rowing the Atlantic, we aim to encourage others to keep going, reach out, and hold onto what matters to them, while supporting Samaritans vital work so no one struggles alone.

We’re the Ash family — Charlotte, Camilla, James and Henry and in 2027, we’ll be rowing across the Atlantic Ocean together and raising money for the charity Suicide&Co.

Charlotte – mum and wife. 62 years old. The mother of the team in this crazy adventure though not sure who will be in charge…

I have had wanderlust my whole life but had never thought of it coming in this form. Water based activities have never been my forte and waves are things I hope will only happen in my brain! I had never imagined being where I am in life right now and am definitely daunted by what lies ahead but in memory of my husband and best friend I will give this my absolute best.

Camilla – sister and daughter. 36 years old. The only long distance open water crossing I’ve done was as a passenger in a sailing boat from Colombia to Panama. The journey took 36 hours with rough seas the entire way, and I vowed never to do something like that again! And here I am…

I’m a linguist, a lawyer and love travelling. My favourite place in the whole world though is Yorkshire, and it will always be the place I call home. I’m terrified by this challenge, and I know my dad would think us mad, but I can’t wait to make him proud.

James. Brother and son. 34 years old. I’m into music as well as endurance sports. I’m more at home running a marathon than I am on a rowing machine. I also love racquet sports and get on the tennis or padel court whenever I can. My 9-5 is for a bank. This row is to honour Dad and to prove to myself that we can achieve amazing things despite everything that has happened to us.

Henry. Brother and son. 31 years old. I love sport and rowing the Atlantic was my idea! I’m determined to succeed whatever it takes. This row is for Dad and giving others hope to survive the hardest moments in life.

We’re doing this in memory of our husband and father, Robert, who died by suicide on 19th September 2023, aged 61. He was a happy, funny, family man with so much ahead of him and his death has changed our lives forever.

We want to break the silence around suicide. Mental health is talked about more than ever, yet so many still don’t know how to approach it — especially when it comes to loss. We hope this row can start conversations and help others feel less alone in their grief.

Suicide&Co has been a vital support for us, offering professional counselling and a safe space to feel heard. While nothing can bring Robert back, their work helps people like us find a way forward.

This row is our tribute to him — to the husband and dad we miss every single day — and a call to keep mental health and suicide bereavement at the top of the conversation.

Keep talking x

Marieke and Renate are in for the Double. With their team of 4 ‘Atlantic Dutchesses’ they won the female class of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020. Their story is not over yet. Loving the Ocean and addicted to rowing, they are ready for yet another adventure.

For an outsider it may be hard to follow why they can’t stop rowing and longing for another challenge that will put their stamina to new limits. But why explain when life is too short to do all the things you love doing.

The charity was an obvious choice: the Women’s Heart. Just like their Atlantic campaign they choose right from the heart for this charity as there is so much more research needed to identify differences between men’s and women’s hearts.

These two women follow their hearts: heart to follow.

I’ve always thrived on physical challenges. At 17, during lockdown, I ran the equivalent of Devon’s circumference – a half marathon a day for 30 days. A former national-level middle-distance runner, I found this experience sparked a deeper passion for endurance feats.

In my first year at university, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity. Then, while sitting my final exams, I completed Ironman Austria at 21. Since then, I’ve completed six marathons, numerous half marathons, and in April 2025, broke both the World and British Records for the Million Metres on a rowing erg.

For this adventure, I’m proud to be supporting Devon Air Ambulance and Shelter UK.

As a team we want to raise awareness of the effects of ocean pollution and raise funds to tackle this issue. On a journey outside of our comfort zones we are excited go face to face with ocean rowing for the first time.
And as our challenge is a global one, we want to work with a global charity that shares our vision to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. This is a mission that everyone should be contributing towards and we think the best thing we can do is row to support The Ocean Clean Up. Their technology and big picture thinking continue to inspire us and make them the best equipped organisation to tackle this environmental crisis.