Atlantic Ocean conquered - next up is a 27,000km cycle across Europe for record-breaking woman
John Dickens • Published 14 Aug 2012 11:30
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Langley's Julia Immonen collecting an award for inspiration
A RECORDING-BREAKING woman from Langley, who spearheaded the first five-woman crew to row across an ocean, in aid of human trafficking charities, has announced her next mammoth fundraising feat.
Julia Immonen and her Row For Freedom team were crowned as the fastest all-female team to cross the Atlantic Ocean when they conquered the 3,000-mile, 45-day row from the Canary Islands to Barbados in December to January.
The 32-year-old, who battled sleep deprivation, crushing waves and sweltering heat, helped raise £200,000 for human trafficking charities. But the determined media worker already has her sights set on the next challenge - a 27,000km cycle, across 27 days, from Bulgaria to London.
She said: "The row we completed was symbolic of the transatlantic voyage that millions of slaves were transported on in the 1800s, so the route we plan to cycle will be symbolic of slavery now."
The team of six male and female cyclists, crowned Cycle For Freedom, are due to set off in mid-September next year, before cycling through a host of Eastern European countries and arriving in Westminster on October 18 - Anti-Slavery Day. The former St Bernard's School pupil added: "I haven't cycled since I was a kid. I will have to learn how to do it all again - just like I did with the rowing.
"We are hoping to have lots of celebrities join us for part of the cycle along the way and then we want to get lots of people joining in with the final part in London."
Since completing the record-breaking row, Julia has carried the Olympic Torch in Edinburgh and joined her team as they took part in the Thames flotilla, organised for The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
This article appeared in Slough Observer 14 Aug 12
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