Zara Lachlan's Solo Rowing Trip From Europe to South America Has Begun

A young woman has set a goal of completing a solo rowing voyage from Europe to South America. Sunday marked the start of her journey.

Rowing in the ocean / Unsplash

Zara Lachlan is an ambitious 21-year-old from Cambridge who has created lofty goal for herself. In approximately 90 days, she is hoping to become the first woman and youngest person to have completed a solo rowing trip from Europe to South America.

Along the way, Lachlan will continue raising money for Women in Sport and Team Forces. The Team Forces organization states that they seek to improve "the lived experience for the armed forces community through the power of sport, challenge and adventure. Our initiatives improve health, well-being and recovery by promoting excellence, equality and inclusion." In addition to raising funds, Lachlan hopes to inspire women to pursue health and fitness.

"I know it seems like an extreme way to inspire other women to get into fitness, but I want people to realize their potential and if I can complete this challenge having never rowed on the ocean before, then other women can attempt a challenge of their own, albeit probably not a cross-Atlantic row," she said.

Lachlan officially marked the start of her voyage on Sunday morning as she departed from Lagos in Portugal, heading toward French Guiana. She will be rowing 3,600 nautical miles, equating to nearly 4,143 miles. To complete this challenge within 90 days, she anticipates rowing 20 hours each day.

"I'm feeling really strong and well-prepared having worked with some of the best ocean rowing coaches in the world including Charlie Pitcher and Lizzie Brown, who has become a second mum to me over the last six months," she stated.

While Lachlan is experienced with rowing, this will not be an easy journey. She will be navigating treacherous waters and encountering various marine animals. She explained that she will be rowing in waves upwards of 20 feet high, adding to the risk.

"... I am mindful that I'm doing something incredibly dangerous that hasn't been attempted by anyone of my age before," said Lachlan.

According to BBC, she is a recent physics graduate from The Loughborough University and will be serving as a technical officer in the Army come September. Tenacity and perseverance have evidently played a large role in Lachlan's ability to complete such a massive challenge.

Supporting her voyage are her family members, friends, and several organizations that have sponsored her, including Team Forces, Civica, Collins Aerospace, Qioptiq, Spectra Group, and Telent.

To track her progress throughout her journey, an interactive map has been made available.