University student Zara Lachlan is hoping to inspire other women and set multiple world records by being the first woman and youngest person ever to row 3600 nautical miles solo and unsupported from mainland Europe to mainland South America.

The gruelling expedition will see 21-year-old Zara rowing for 15 hours per day from Portugal to French Guiana and is predicted to take 90 days from start to finish, ending in January 2025. Zara, an aspiring technical officer in the Army, will take on a number of challenges during the expedition, including encountering orcas, marlins and sharks and battling 20ft waves.

Her journey to French Guiana will pass in an unrelenting cycle – row for five hours, sleep for 20 minutes – that she will break only to clean her boat or, in the case of a fierce headwind, deploy her parachute anchor and take a longer break. Each day she will burn about 7,200 calories which is far more than the 5,500kcal her body is able to absorb. With this daily deficit Zara at 5ft 8in and 64kg (10st 1lb) could possibly lose up to a third of her body weight.

Speaking about the expedition, Zara said: “I rowed extensively at university but I’d never been in an ocean rowing boat. I really wanted to take on a big challenge, other women have rowed from Africa to South America, but not mainland to mainland so I’ll be setting another world record there. Rowing over winter means I’ll be less likely to encounter tropical storms, but there are still plenty of other risk factors to consider. The ocean can be pretty scary.”

As a young solo female traveller Zara is also preparing for the danger of pirate attacks and hijackings as she travels past West Africa. “I’ve been doing 39 hours of cardio per week in preparation for the expedition and I’ve been working with a nutritionist to ensure that the four meals I have each day will contain enough calories to sustain me. I think the most daunting part for me so far is the thought of getting out of my boat and into the ocean every two days to clean it and do any maintenance. However, I’ve had lots of calls with marine biologists to educate me about the ocean so it should be fine and I’ll remain tethered to the boat at all times.”

About Zara Lachlan

Zara Lachlan is a 21-year-old physics student at Loughborough University who is joining the army in May 2025 as a technical officer. She has competed internationally in cycling and started rowing at 16 at Welbeck the Army’s 6th Form College. Zara is a highly determined, tenacious and motivated young woman, and is comfortable pushing her mental and physical boundaries. She firmly believes that life’s most rewarding moments lie in the challenges we embrace.

Follow Zara’s journey on her Instagram account.