Elin Haf Davis
It shows determination and strength of character to decide to row across the Atlantic, especially when you’ve never been out to sea and haven’t even picked up an oar.
But Elin Haf Davies did exactly that - with a friend and fellow nurse Herdip Sidhu who was also new to rowing.
They hauled themselves across the Atlantic Ocean in searing heat, as waves higher than houses crashed around them and towering cargo ships threatened to smash their 24ft-long boat to smithereens.
They completed the Woodvale Challenge, billed at The World’s Toughest Rowing Race, and Elin became the first woman from Wales to row across the Atlantic.
The pair worked in four-hour shifts around the clock - each rowing 12-hours-a-day. The feat was physically and mentally draining.
Her determination paid off, and their efforts raised a substantial amount of money for metabolic research. Elin had worked in this field as a nurse and seen how devastating such medical conditions can be to children’s lives. She had already resolved to study the area more closely for her PhD.
Her Atlantic adventure was a huge test of character, spirit and resolution. Many would have been broken by it. Elin was empowered.