Ocean crossing for Thato

Thato has set her sights on becoming the first African oarswoman to row across an ocean and the team has set its sights on breaking the World Speed Record for the fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing of 32 days.

The team departed on their journey on Monday last week.

Thato grew up in Tembisa and attended Holy Rosary School where she was first introduced to the sport of rowing.

Following her academic and sporting success at school, she moved to Grahamstown and enrolled at Rhodes University.

Thato studied human kinetics and ergonomics and was an integral part of the woman’s 1st eight rowing crew.

In 2003, she was invited to attend an international rowing training camp in Seville, Spain, after which she represented South Africa at the FISA Team Cup international regatta.

Thato enjoyed numerous successes in the years that followed, including competing at the World University Championships in Brive La Galiarde, France, in the coxless 4 event.

During the event, she finished seventh overall.

She then moved back to Johannesburg to continue her rowing career at the University of Johannesburg, where she focused her studies on human resources management.

She eventually hung up her oar in 2006.

Thato currently works as an HR executive for Barone Budge and Dominick and she regularly competes in cycling and running events.

Her athletic ability and disciplined, but laid back attitude, has made her an asset for the Atlantic Ocean crossing.

“We are not only attempting to break records, we are also aiming to raise R3-million for Early Childhood Development,” she said.

The charities that will benefit from the Atlantic crossing are the Ubunye Foundation, formerly known as the Angus Gillis Foundation, and the Bulamahlo Orphanage in Tembisa, established in 1989.

Thato and the other crew members met in Gran Canaria – Puerto Mogan, on January 10 ,from where they set off to row 5 000 kilometres across the Atlantic Ocean to Barbados.

The crew is skippered by world-renowned ocean rowing skipper Leven Brown, of Ocean Row Events.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the crew will row in shifts of two hours on and two hours off for the duration of the row in the 45-foot, purpose-built ocean rowing boat called Avalon.

The boat should be able to withstand the conditions in one of the world’s most treacherous bodies of water, with waves of up to 50 feet.

The boat has a carbon constructed mono hull that will self-right if capsized.

Thato and her seven fellow crew members will share the cramped space aboard without ever leaving the boat, other than for a quick mid Atlantic Ocean dip in the sea.

The rowers are expected to burn 8 000 to 10 000 calories per day while on the boat.

One of the team’s biggest challenges out in the open will be keeping themselves hydrated.

The temperature inside the cabin will reach up to 40 degrees Celsius during the day.

Thato and her team will have to make water daily utilising solar and wind power.

The Ubunye Challenge was started in 2012 when Cameron Bellamy and several close friends, including Thato, chose to utilise their passion for endurance adventures to raise money for causes close to their hearts.

The group focuses mainly on supporting education in rural southern Africa and has raised in excess of R800 000.

To follow the team’s progress, visit www.ubunyechallenge.com