9:48am Tuesday 7th July 2009
A Sussex woman has become one of the first women to row across the Indian Ocean.
Jo Jackson, 28, from Hartfield, East Sussex, was one of the first all-female crew to manage the gruelling feat.
The group, which calls itself the Ocean Angels, reached the finishing line in Port Louis, Mauritius, after spending 79 days at sea.
They came second in the gruelling Woodvale Indian Ocean Race 2009, after setting off on the epic 3,720 mile journey from Geraldton, Western Australia, on April 19.
The race was won by a male British team on June 26.
The Ocean Angels aim to raise £50,000 for Breast Cancer Care in completing the feat.
Ms Jackson's rowing mates are cancer survivor Fiona Waller, 34, from Clapham, south London, Sarah Duff, 25, from Whitchurch Hill, Oxfordshire, and Elin Davies, 32, from Parc, Bala, north Wales.
All of them apart from Ms Jackson have previously completed the Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race.
Dubbed the toughest rowing race in the world, the Indian Ocean Race has proved a challenge for all four women however. Of the 10 boats that began the race, only five made it past halfway and prior to this year's race only two men had ever completed it.
During the 79 days spent onboard their 29ft rowing boat, Pura Vida, the women rowed in pairs for two hours on, two hours off, meaning they have had no more than two hours' sleep at a time.
They have also had to contend with rough seas with frequent swells of over 50ft, hurricane force winds and intense heat, along with dangerous marine life including sharks.
Speaking after they finished, skipper Ms Waller said: "I can't believe we've finally made it - the first all female crew to row across the Indian Ocean. To say it's been tough is an understatement but what an adventure. We have seen the best and the worst of the Indian Ocean. I'm really proud of what we've achieved both in terms of our world record and also the money we have raised for Breast Cancer Care."
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