A young woman from East Yorkshire has made history as the first person from the region to row across the Atlantic Ocean on her own.
Miriam Payne, 23, from Market Weighton has completed the Talisker Whiskey Challenge which has been called “the world’s toughest row”. She is one of the youngest people to complete this world challenge.
Also, she completed the challenge in a record time for a solo woman as it took her 59 days, 16 hours and 13 minutes to row across the Atlantic, BBC News reports. Her rowing journey started from the Canary Islands on December 12 and she reached the finish line in Antigua on February 10.
Miriam told BBC News: “I was so tired, I just wanted to get to the end so I could stop rowing. The last eight to 10 miles were actually really hard.
“It’s that point where you know you’re there and you’ve done it, but you just have to finish it off. So eight miles is nothing in the grand scheme of 3,000 or whatever, but it felt like some of the longest.”
She was the third lone rower to arrive in St John’s harbour in her boat Seas the Day 2022. Miriam’s parents and supporters were waiting for her on the quayside, greeting and cheering for her, as she crossed the finishing line.
As she was taking part in the rowing challenge, Miriam spent Christmas and New Year alone with just the sea and stars for company. However, Hull Live reported that the only thing Miriam said she was afraid of was not enjoying the challenge.
