Member Article

Mazars latest networking event is oar-inspiring

Two members of the four woman ‘Yorkshire Rows’ team who recently rowed across the Atlantic Ocean kicked off an oar-inspiring evening at this month’s Mazars et Toi networking event, arranged by the Leeds office of international accountancy and business advisory firm Mazars.

Frances Davies and Helen Butters, who recently set a new world record as members of the oldest female team to row across any ocean were guest speakers at the event meeting which took place at The Chambers, 30 Park Place in Leeds. The duo was part of a team of four women that included Janette Benaddi and Niki Doeg, who successfully completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in February 2016.

Frances Davies commented: “We were delighted to share our story with everyone who attended the event. Completing The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is an experience none of us will forget. Sheer hard work and determination got us through and to have set a Guinness World Record was the icing on the cake. We are four working mums who really tested their capabilities and we are all extremely proud of the result. The challenge took us 67 days 5 hours 2 minutes to complete and we have raised £50,000 to date for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Maggie’s Centres. We hope this figure is set to double when we sell the boat and collect all remaining donations that are still coming in.”

Claire White, Mazars explained: “Ordinary working women who ‘dared to dream’, ‘Yorkshire Rows’ are a truly inspirational team. The fact that they are not professional sportswomen makes their achievements even more fantastic. We are delighted to welcome them to our latest event and everyone who attended was fascinated to hear about their achievements which include the completion of The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge last year. This is known as ‘the World’s toughest rowing race’ and their preparations to undertake the challenge started back in 2013. The race began on December 20th 2015 in the Canary Islands and ended 3000 nautical miles later in Antigua in the Caribbean. Rowing between 12 and 15 hours a day they battled seasickness, flying fish, blisters and all the weather Mother Nature could throw at them. But after 67 days at sea they arrived into the English Harbour in Antigua to an amazing welcome from hundreds of friends and well-wishers.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Caroline Marsden .