A four-woman team from Pembrokeshire - Denise Leonard, Helen Heaton, Heledd Williams, and Liz Collyer - will become the first all-female Welsh crew to compete in the World’s Toughest Row - Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000-mile unaided race across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Merched y Môr team, whose name fittingly means ‘Women of the Sea’ in Welsh, will row from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, enduring up to 60 days of continuous rowing in shifts, navigating unpredictable weather, 20-foot waves, and total physical and mental exhaustion.

“Crossing the Atlantic ocean in a rowing boat is not for the faint hearted. More people have gone into space than have crossed this treacherous stretch of sea, with up to 20-foot waves to battle.

“We’re made of tough stuff, being on the edge of the sea, so we know that we have the determination and motivation to complete this test for ourselves and for our chosen charities,” they said.

Their goal is to raise £125,000 to support the costs of the challenge and to fund four vital charities: Popham Kidney Support, which provides essential help for kidney patients and their families in Wales; Sea Trust Wales, which focuses on marine conservation and protecting Welsh coastal biodiversity; Action for Children, which supports vulnerable children, young people and families across the UK; and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), whose crews deliver life-saving rescue services.

As part of their campaign, the team will visit the Senedd on July 15, to raise awareness of the challenge and highlight the work of their chosen charities.

The Atlantic Challenge is one of the most demanding endurance races in the world. Fewer people have rowed across the Atlantic than have climbed Mount Everest or travelled to space.

Further information, team updates, and donation links are available at: https://www.merchedymor.wales