Powered by Mighty Oats – Vibe the Wave

An oar-some Oxford woman is preparing for an epic rowing challenge across the Atlantic.

Grace Gilbert, 31, is hoping to raise a big sum for John Radcliffe Hospital Neuro ICU in Oxford as she takes on the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December.

Undertaking the challenge with Grace, a chartered surveyor in Oxford, will be Maddie Difazio-Wright, 35, a brand manager in Bath and Grace Pybus, 32, a teacher based in Newport, Wales.

We’re honoured to support the trio with their challenge.

Now the adventure-seekers are pressing on with their final weeks of training with an ambitious goal in mind – to be the first all-female team past the finish line in one of the world’s toughest rowing challenges.

Grace said: “It’s difficult getting corporate backing right now but Mornflake have been very generous providing cash support and their Mighty Oats breakfasts for the whole time we are at sea.

“We are thrilled to have them on board. Not only is their heritage wonderfully British and steeped in history, the family behind the brand have long championed healthy lifestyles and are true champions of sustainability.

“Their mill is powered by a wind and solar power,  and they believe there is no excuse for waste. They recycle and reuse everything they can and any by-product of their oats is used as feed for local livestock. We love that their values match ours and are excited to have them on our team.”

The friends, who formed their team ‘Vibe the Wave’ after meeting on social media, will row three hours on, three hours off for between 40 and 50 days covering 3000nm of open ocean in what is classed as one of the world’s toughest rowing challenges.

Their route from La Gomera to Antigua, the equivalent of 115 marathons, will be a test of their physical and mental resilience. The crew mates are preparing for sea sickness, sleep deprivation, hand blisters, hallucinations and 40ft waves.

They will set themselves up each morning with our Superfast Porridge Oats which are a good source of energy. And they will need them as the row will burn more than 5,000 calories a day.

Grace, a athlete and self-confessed ‘endurance nutter,’ has completed several Ironman Triathlons, climbed Kilimanjaro and cycled John O’Groats to Land’s End but prefers to be in the water rather than ‘on it.’

She adds: “Up until a few weeks ago I had zero rowing experience so this will be a true test of my endurance. I hope what we are doing will inspire other women to say ‘yes’ to a challenge while raising awareness of causes close to our heart.”

For Grace, who works for a commercial property company, that means giving a big cash boost to the Oxford hospital where a family member was treated for a brain injury. She has a JustGiving page set up for donations.

Her friends have also chosen charities in their home towns and between them they want to make everyone appreciate the critical need to protect the ocean.

They are using a second hand boat and will use only solar power for their batteries. They will also collect ocean plastic along the way to highlight the issues surrounding climate change and ocean plastic pollution.

Our Managing Director, James Lea, said: “We are delighted our oat-based cerelas are helping Vibe the Wave train for their mission and will be their staple food source on the row.

“It’s an incredibly brave and commendable effort to raise awareness of ocean protection and encourage people to live more sustainably.

“It’s important to us to us to work side by side with Mother Nature and keep the world the way it should be. So Vibe the Wave, we salute you. We will proudly chart your progress on the voyage.”

Vibe the Wave set sail from the Canary Island, La Gomera, on December 12.

Good luck!