A WOMAN from Malvern is taking on an incredible transatlantic rowing challenge to support two charities close to her heart.

Lara Vafiadis will be competing in the world’s toughest race, rowing solo 3,000 miles across the Atlantic and aiming to break the world record as the fastest woman ever to do so.

As part of the challenge, she will be part of the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic challenge, one so difficult more people have climbed Everest than done it.

Starting from San Sebastian in the Canary Islands and finishing in Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua and Barbuda, the challenge will see Lara row for up to 18 hours a day.

Besides the lack of sleep, the wind and general conditions make sleep a nightmare. On top of this, salt from the ocean gets everywhere, leading to painful sores along with hallucinations, which many rowers report seeing after many hours on the waves.

With temperatures in excess of 30 degrees, no shade on the boat and rowing all day, every day, dehydration is a real risk. the onboard watermaker is therefore a vital piece of equipment.

Waves in the Atlantic can be big, really big, up to 30ft (9 metres) high, in fact. This may be ok in a larger ocean-going vessel but in a small 20ft (7.3 metres) rowing boat it can lead to capsizes.

Spending all this time rowing burns a huge number of calories, approximately 8000 a day.

However, rowers typically only manage to eat 6000 calories a day.

Therefore, Lara will likely lose between 10kg and 15kg on the crossing.

This may be exacerbated by bouts of sea sickness which drain energy and motivation making it all that much harder.

The charities she is raising for are Plan International and Our Only World.

Since 1937, Plan International has been promoting the rights of children around the world.

They work with their partners in more than 45 countries, making sure children in some of the poorest communities are safe, and protected from violence.

Lara said: “Because I want to live in a world where every child, especially every girl, knows their value - and the communities they’re growing up in – and the world around them - values them to”

Our Only World is a UK Registered Charity based in Cornwall.

Their mission is to inspire and raise awareness of the fight against marine plastic pollution and its effect on our only world. Their first project is the manufacture of a water refill station.

They have been awarded funding from Cornwall Council to site 15 units along the Cornish coastline from Penzance to Saltash.

Lara is based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire but is originally from Malvern. She is a trained Yacht Skipper having gained her RYA Yacht-Master at 21.

When not working for a software company, she spends her time, hiking, cycling and baking.

As part of the challenge, she is looking for local companies to get involved via sponsorship.

The 2019 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge had an overall audience reach of 522 million people, on Facebook alone it reached 20million.

She added: "In an age where a company needs to find different, more innovative and diverse ways to reach people, this is the ultimate opportunity. It’s a sponsorship opportunity too good to turn down."

For more information about Lara and her challenge, go to her website https://www.thisgirlrows.com/

For more information about the Talisker race, go to https://www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com