News South Africa

SA women attempt to break Atlantic record for charity

Hayley Arthur and Thato Mabelane, who are former members of the South African rowing team, will row across the Atlantic Ocean on 15 December 2013, with four Rhodes University graduates, as part of the Ubunye Challenge.
SA women attempt to break Atlantic record for charity

Arthur, Mabelane and fellow rowers Cameron Bellamy, Gordon Simpson, Samuel Wells, Ryan Palmer, Phil Davis and Leven Brown, have set their sights on breaking the World Speed Record for the fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing of 32 days.

Arthur and Mabelane will also become the first African oarswomen to row across an ocean and Mabelane will be the first black African, to row in an ocean.

"We are not only attempting to break records we are also aiming to raise R3 million for Early Childhood Development. The charities that will benefit are: the Angus Gillis Foundation, a rural development trust established in 2002 in response to the chronic underdevelopment in the Eastern Cape, and Vimba, a relatively small charity, established in 2007, which cultivates environments that foster child development in Zimbabwe.

"We are proud to be associated with the Ubunye Team. They have great commitment to their cause, both in terms of successfully rowing across the Atlantic and also raising money for Early Childhood Development. We are all rooting for their success," said Lucy O'Keef head of the Angus Gillis Foundation.

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