(Observer)It was a once-in-a-lifetime journey through pitch black nights and howling waves of the Pacific Ocean by our beloved trio. However, with that ocean successfully taken down, what other feats do the Team Antigua Island Girls plan to tackle?
For Kevinia Francis and Christal Clashing, it will be training for the 2024 Run in Paradise’s Half Marathon. In Clashing’s personal capacity, she indicated that she is eager to return to her passion of free diving.
As for Kevinia, she has resumed her profession as a personal trainer and is currently working on starting a youth fitness business programme by January 2024.
Future racing plans haven’t been set in stone for Samara Emmanuel, however, what is imminent for next Monday is a reunion with her coworkers at the Jumby Bay Resort, and her return behind the wheel as a boat captain.
Furthermore, updates were provided on the additional two members of the original five-member team, Elvira Bell and Junella King.
Bell, she explained, has been the person in charge of the team’s logistics, including shipping their boat, and was their land support during the row.
According to Francis, King is currently contracted as a crew member with the Maiden Factor charity which sails around the world promoting education for girls.
The Maiden Factor is a global campaign that sails around the world with an all-female crew promoting education for girls. The aim is to support charities that teach or mentor girls up to the age of 16, who don’t have an access to an education.
The boat currently being utilized for these efforts is the Maiden yacht which made history in 1990 by sailing in the Whitbread Round the World Race with an all-female crew.
Previously, Kevinia, Elvira, Christal and Samara successfully completed the ‘World’s Toughest Row -Atlantic’ row on January 28, 2019, becoming the first female, all-black team to row the Atlantic.
This year, three of the Team Antigua Island Girls added another achievement to the history books on July 23 when they became the first female, all-black team to successfully row the Pacific Ocean in the ‘World’s Toughest Row—Pacific’.
The trio, comprised of Kevinia, Christal and Samara Emmanuel completed the feat in 41 days, 7 hours and 5 minutes.
