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Rowing teams reach Solent in race to round mainland Great Britain
A ROYAL Navy nurse rowed valiantly into the Solent yesterday during an epic endurance challenge for a military charity.
Portsmouth nurse Laura Thomasson, 23, is part of an all-female team taking on an all-male team in the Virgin GB Row 2010.
The challenge is non-stop for 2,010 miles around mainland Britain.
It is hoped the crews of four will raise 250,000 for Help For Heroes during the race.
They started their challenge at Tower Bridge on the Thames on Tuesday when Sir Richard Branson's daughter Holly dropped the flag.
Laura is a prolific rower and a nurse for the Royal Navy, who is based at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, and awaiting posting to Afghanistan.
She said: 'I have been rowing since I was 13 and when I heard about this race I applied and was told it was for men only.
'Then I learned a female crew was being put together and I knew I had to be in the boat.'
The first team to return to Tower Bridge will win 15,000 and claim the Virgin Trophy.
The winning team will receive a 30,000 bonus if they break the existing world record of 26 days which was done by the only crew who have successfully rowed non-stop around Britain.
In 2005 they endured Force Eight gales with 50ft waves, narrowly missing being capsized in the North Sea by a freak wave.
The second boat on this year's challenge will collect 6,000 if they complete the course and cross the finishing line on the River Thames.
If the women's team complete the incredible journey they will set a new world record by becoming the first women ever to row non-stop around the UK.
Virgin Group's chairman, Sir Richard Branson said: 'At Virgin we love to encourage people to take on challenges and we're delighted to be able to offer the Virgin Trophy as a prize in this amazing race, where the rowers will face the most incredible challenges to reach the finishing line.
'Both teams will face some of the most treacherous tides, and the busiest shipping lanes in the world, plus Britain's notoriously unpredictable weather.
'I don't envy them this adventure.'
To donate to the teams in aid of Help For Heroes, go to gbrowchallenge.com
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
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