PREVIEW

Brave 21-Year-Old Brit Zara Lachlan 'Battles Killer Whales' During Record-Breaking Atlantic Row. At a time when her student contemporaries are out enjoying Christmas parties, 21-year-old Zara Lachlan has been facing down dangerous killer whales while rowing the Atlantic. If the recent Loughborough University graduate completes the challenge and rows the 3,600 nautical miles to French Guiana, she will become the first woman and youngest person ever to complete any mainland trans-Atlantic crossing and will become a world record holder. Despite vicious headwinds and her encounter with the killer whales, or orcas, who have been known to sink small boats, the youngster has passed the Canary Islands having completed the first 1000 miles (869 nautical miles) of her record breaking solo Atlantic row. She departed from Lagos on the Portuguese Algarve on 27 October 2024 and has now been alone on the boat for more than a month. When she spotted the whales she said: "Oh my God there are killer whales. Oh my God I'm shaking. I don't know what to do, I'm shaking...my legs are shaking so much.” She stopped her boat and thankfully the beasts left her alone, after which she said, "that was so scary, they're huge!”. However, having seen off the killer whales, Zara remains as determined and as focused as ever on the task ahead as she continues onto the next phase of her epic adventure. Good luck Zara, here’s hoping you have less of a whale of a time during the rest of your trip!