Sea Change Sport Atlantic Row for Women in Sport

3000 miles. 1.5 million strokes of the oars. Everyone has their own ocean to cross.

THE CHALLENGE
 
I’m Victoria Evans, a London-based sports lawyer.  In February 2022, I will depart from Tenerife on a Guinness World Record attempt to become the fastest female to solo row across the Atlantic ocean. My destination is Port St Charles, Barbados which I'll be aiming to reach quicker than the current record of 49 days, 7 hours and 15 minutes.
 
I never imagined that I’d take on a challenge of this magnitude. It’s completely beyond my previous definition of who I was, but an endeavour of this size provides a fantastic platform to raise money for, and awareness about, UK charity 'Women In Sport'.

Read on to find our where my passion for this cause originates from.

MY STORY

Growing up, I was self-conscious and unfit. Sport seemed like an unobtainable world. In 2012 I qualified as a commercial lawyer. Over the last decade I've worked for a number of sports brands and federations but it wasn't until I brought sport into my personal life in my late twenties that things changed dramatically. Having battled with depression and an eating disorder in my youth, this new-found passion for being active drove huge positive change.
 
In 2014 I moved to Switzerland for work. There I was integrated into a friendship group of amazing, active women. Weekends were spent hiking, skiing, or cycling. My confidence surrounding activity developed to the point where, in 2017, I climbed Mont Blanc, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Gran Paradiso in the space of five weeks. 
 
Suddenly, it felt that there were things within my reach that I hadn’t previously considered possible. I want every woman and girl to unlock these transformational benefits of sport. Yet in both my personal and professional encounters with sport, I've witnessed the multitude of barriers that exist. I want to contribute to changing this landscape.
 
On moving back to England in 2018 I met someone who was about to row the Atlantic for charity. It sparked my interest. This was the perfect challenge to use as a platform.

After almost three years of preparation, including giving up my job to focus on training, I'm almost ready to cast off. I was originally due to set off in February 2021. As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic however, the revised travel restrictions introduced in December 2020 meant that I couldn't get to the start point and consequently had to postpone by 12 months.
 
THE WHY
 
In the UK alone, 1.5 million less women engage in sport each week than men, and nearly 60% of girls aren't meeting the recommended daily exercise guidelines. While many campaigns seek to increase engagement, in order to truly effect change it’s essential to tackle the structure of sport as an industry, and the culture surrounding sport. 
 
Women In Sport exists so that every woman and girl in the UK can experience the lifelong rewards of sport. 
 
To achieve this, they inform through their research into women and girls’ relationship with sport and physical activity, innovate through partnering with sport deliverers and inspire using their insight and expertise to bring about changes in policy, practice and attitudes that lead to greater opportunities for women and girls in sport.
 
They are the only organisation in the UK that researches sport purely from the perspective of women and girls. They use the insight gained to drive change through campaigns and partnerships. The money raised through the Sea Change Sport campaign will have a huge impact in helping to drive this change.

£1000 could fund a Women In Sport insight pack to disseminate their vital research into how to increase the participation of women and girls in sport, covering issues including puberty, pregnancy, menopause, culture and diversity.

£10,000 could help fund a campaign about the inequalities that exist within the culture of sport and how to prevent unconscious bias in the sport sector.

£35,000 could help fund a sports programme in disadvantaged communities across the UK

No matter how large or small, every contribution to the Sea Change Sport campaign matters, and will  help me reach my £50,000 target.

Wish me luck, follow me  on social media as I undertake this massive challenge, and a sincere thank you for your kind contribution to the Sea Change Sport campaign.