Woman to row Atlantic in memory of school friend

A woman preparing to row across the Atlantic will raise money in memory of a school friend.

Liv Stocks, 22, from East Yorkshire, is preparing for the 3,000-mile (4,800km) challenge alongside Jenna Vincent, 25, from Poole in Dorset, and Meg Neely, 24, from Swindon in Wiltshire.

Stocks will raise money for A Shining Light, a Howden-based charity set up to support the NHS services and the Teenage Cancer Trust following the death of her school friend Luke Stevens, who was 17, from bone cancer in 2021.

"It's just a really special charity that is making a difference on the ground for children and young adults who are going through some of the toughest times of their lives," she said.

The event, called the World's Toughest Row, is expected to feature teams from around the world when it begins in December.

The women will attempt to row from the Canary Islands to Antigua in their ocean-going boat, Stevo.

They are hoping to become the youngest female trio to cross the ocean.

Stocks said they were aiming to complete the race in 45 to 50 days, but had provisions for 60.

She described it as "a pretty big challenge" and an opportunity to get back to basics.

"I think you just get so lost in everyday life, so doing something like this where it's just stripped back to eat, sleep, row, repeat – it's just really special.

"Six to eight weeks out at sea with absolutely no assistance, completely on our own."

The women, whose team is called Just Row With It, have completed mandatory training courses, including navigation and survival.

However, Stocks told BBC Radio Humberside: "There really aren't that many mitigations that can be made for avoiding rough weather or big seas. We've just got to embrace it and keep going."

The team, along with the boat, will be visiting the Howden Show on Sunday.

Stocks said it would be an opportunity to talk to people about the challenge and answer their questions.

Listen to highlights fromHull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

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