Axel May
modified to
08:07, January 05, 2023
An unprecedented challenge began on Wednesday evening: six female athletes will attempt to row across the Pacific Ocean. They left Lima in Peru, heading for Moorea in French Polynesia. They will take turns every hour, for 3 months, and travel 8,000 km for the benefit of children with cancer.
Their names are Stéphanie, Alexandra, Emmanuelle, Marie, Margot and Itziar, a Spaniard. Five French women and a Spaniard who have each experienced “personal storms” (illness, bereavement, incest, etc.) and who have found their salvation in sport. These women are about to row across the Pacific Ocean, the largest on the planet.
By launching into this crazy challenge, the emotion was palpable. “There is a lot of emotion, of course, because we are going into self-sufficiency cut off from the world for three months. But we are ready and we really want to go. “says Stéphanie Barneix, 46 years old and four cancers of the breast defeated. It is she who is at the origin of the project.
An 8,000 kilometer adventure for the benefit of sick children
These confirmed sportswomen, specializing in coastal rescue, have set sail in Lima, the Peruvian capital and must reach Moorea in French Polynesia, which they hope to reach in less than 90 days. They will take turns every hour on board their paddle-type board, rowing with the sole strength of their arms, day and night, followed by a support boat.
In total, they will cover around 8,000 kilometres. The money raised by donors will be donated to the “Hope Team East” association, co-founded by Stéphanie Barneix, to help children treated for cancer.