Ulster woman Linda Blakely preparing for a world record-breaking solo row across the Atlantic Ocean to support children's rare disease research

“Errr…. I’ve done no sailing and not really any rowing,” she admits, speaking from her boat, the aptly named Ulster Warrior, as she rows around the River Blackwater in Essex as part of her training regime.

This lack of experience might be concerning if Linda was not an amazing and accomplished amateur athlete, who has achieved remarkable feats. She has competed in multiple Ironman events worldwide, consistently securing the top spot in her age group.

Linda, who plans to set sail in January, has also represented Team GB in long-distance triathlons, earning a silver medal in her age group at the Europeans.

In 2018, she faced an even greater challenge, successfully summiting both Everest and Lhotse within a day, joining an elite group of only four women worldwide who have accomplished this traverse.

She is also an outstanding businesswoman, having set up three children’s homes in London that provide essential support for young people with emotional and behavioural issues, as well as learning disabilities,

Linda's record-breaking attempt is about more than personal triumph. She aims to raise funds in excess of £100,000 for children’s charity Action Medical Research (www.action.org.uk), which has been funding medical breakthroughs since it began in 1952, including helping to introduce the first polio vaccines in the UK, developing the use of ultrasound in pregnancy and testing the rubella vaccine.

Her epic row will shed light on rare forms of epilepsy, with each of her 1.5 million oar strokes dedicated to children like the three-year -old daughter of one of her Children’s Homes managers, who is very ill with an extremely rare genetic disease SMC1A. By supporting her Atlantic row, Linda is hoping people can contribute to vital research that offers hope and optimism to children and their families.

"Action Medical Research is an amazing charity. What they do is bring awareness to medical research to quite rare illnesses in quite young children. They’ve been involved in some ground-breaking stuff – the rubella vaccinations for children and also the ultrasound in pregnancy. Raising funds for Action Medical Research will make this even more special and together we are focussed on delivering as much as possible to help fund rare disease research for children.”

Fewer than 20 women have successfully rowed the Atlantic solo. Linda is not only hoping to complete the gruelling 3,000 mile journey, she is hoping to do so faster than any woman ever has. The current world record for the Trade Winds I route is held by Victoria Evans from Huddersfield and stands at 40 days and 21 hours and one minute; Linda is aiming to do it in just 40 days.

“I do appreciate that Victoria has set a fantastic benchmark, so I take nothing away from her. She’s amazing. Because before that the record was 49 days. But I like to have a challenge, so I will definitely give it a good go.”

Linda’s training at the moment involves lots of coastal rowing.

"I also row with a little London club called Sons of the Thames – they actually taught me how to row and they took me under their wing. So they’ve taught me pretty much everything I know about rowing now.”

She is hoping to finish her epic challenge in St Lucia.

“There might be a chance of Barbados – they are very close together those two islands – about 90 miles apart, so it depends on my line of direction and the wind.”

Of course, she’s aware it may not all be plain sailing (or rowing). She could be buffeted by storm-force gales and waves the size of double-decker buses en route to her destination.

“I’m not looking forward to being capsized, but I guess it’s just something you have to deal with. I guess once it happens once, it’ll be fine. I don’t get seasick, so I’m not worried about that.”

What she is a bit more concerned about is loneliness.

“I think it will take me quite a while to get lonely. I do enjoy my own company, but I expect not five weeks off. That will be something that I’ll just have to get round. I guess the first couple of weeks will be alright and then after that I’ll just have to deal with it and talk to myself.”

She will also have to celebrate her 50th birthday alone at sea on February 11.

Linda’s Rannoch 10 boat, which is just 1.5 metres wide, will contain all her food and everything she’ll need for the duration of her row.

“It has to be unassisted, so I have to have everything with me. The boat has just one rowing seat and a little cabin at each end. One of the cabins, the slightly larger one, I sleep in, and the rear cabin is where my rudder is and the ropes.

“I’ll make water using a water de-salinator, so I’ll take in the sea water and de-salinate it and in terms of communications I’ll have a Bgan – where you use satellite to get the internet and relay messages and little videos.”

And as for her luxury items, music is a must-have.

“As long as I have ear phones and music and an iPod I’ll be ok,.. I’ll also take a few letters from people for those moments when I get a bit lonely, so I’ll keep them to open one at a time when I’m having a low moment.”

Linda is keenly aware – especially given the recent Titan submarine tragedy –of how dangerous sea-based challenges can be, but says she’s well prepared for any eventualities.

“Hopefully I’ll stay on top of the water and not go down. But I have a lot of distress methods if I do get into trouble. The boat is equipped with what’s called an EPRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) that’s attached to the boat, so that should it be submerged, for whatever reason, it’ll set off automatically, I won’t have to do anything.

“I’ve also got a radio I can send a distress call on and I’ve got a life jacket and life raft.”

Linda, who left Lurgan when she was 19, said her mum and brother still live there, whilst her sister is in Croydon.

“My dad passed away in 2016, so it’s probably good he’s not here for this madness – but my mum has to deal with it. When I climbed Mount Everest my mum made me promise I wouldn’t climb any more mountains – but she didn’t say anything about rowing an ocean,” she laughs.

Linda traces her love of sport and adventure back to her younger days in Northern Ireland.

“I was into sport when I was at home in Lurgan and in school, but then when I came to England I set up a company with children’s homes (Care Ltd, which she established in 2004), so I focused on work then for about 15 years.

"I didn’t go back to sport until I was quite settled work-wise – I was in my mid-30s and I started doing Ironman, which is a long triathlon, which I really enjoy and will come back to as well after I’ve done my row.”

As well as her incredible sporting endeavours, Linda says she is still “very hands on” at the children’s homes.

“The kids all know I’m going (on the expedition). Each home has a manager, a deputy manager and a team, so they are all very capable – it will run well even when I’m away.”

So, all being well, when she finishes her incredible Atlantic crossing, does this indomitable woman have any more challenges in her sights? Of course she has!

“I’ve always wanted to do the Marathons Des Sables – the Marathons of the Sands – it’s a six-day ultramarathon in the Sahara desert in Morocco. That’s on the list for 2025, but I’ll get the row out of the way first!”

You can donate to Ulster Warrior’s Just Giving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ulsterwarrior