Dead ringers made my day
Jasmine, 21, is set for world record as youngest solo woman to cross Atlantic
My son Jonathan told me never to answer the door at night. So on Sunday evening when the bell rang, I peeked out of the curtains to see who was there and saw a sight that really made my week.
My neighbour Nia’s son Andrew and his sevenyear-old boy Jac had popped over wearing their Deadpool outfits, worn in a nod to the character made famous by one of the new buyers of Wrexham football club, Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds.
Andrew is a huge fan of Wrexham, as was my Colin. Just seeing him on my doorstep holding little Jac’s hand and having a cheerful little chat with them made me feel brighter.
And without knowing, they’ve also solved all my beauty dilemmas.
Because when I’m ready to go out again, I’m going to hide my Freddie Boswell hairdo and wrinkles by wearing a Deadpool mask everywhere I go. You can call me Supergran.
SHE has battled 20ft waves, been tracked by sharks and come within minutes of colliding with a 750ft tanker.
But today rower Jasmine Harrison is set to enter the record books as the youngest woman to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
The 21-year-old swimming teacher is due to complete the 3,000-mile journey from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua between 1.30pm and 3pm UK time.
Her voyage is part of the annual Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, which features 21 teams of up to five people crossing the ocean.
There are eight solo competitors including her Rudderly Mad team. Incredibly Jasmine, of Thirsk, North Yorks, only took up rowing in December 2019.
“I’ve never rowed in my life,” she said. “I’ve done everything else, swimming, pentathlon, most standard sports. Just never rowing. But I’m quite good at picking different things up.”
Since setting off on December 12, Jasmine has rowed for a minimum of 12 hours a day, and she is unable to sleep for longer than two hours in case her 21ft boat, called Argo, veers off course.
In the early stages, the weather was so bad she was blown back to where she had started from at the end of one day.
This week she capsized, injuring her left elbow, but was able to carry on.
“I will be very, very happy when she crosses that finish line,” said Jasmine’s mum Susan, who speaks to her daily via satellite phone.
“She has taken it all in her stride – I know she is relishing these last few days now the end is in sight.”
Burning 5,000 calories a day, she survives on ration packs, chocolate spread, peanut butter and 10 litres of water – plus occasional shots of rum. The previous youngest woman to make a solo crossing was American Katie Spotz, aged 22, in 2010.
Jasmine has said: “You can achieve your dreams, big or small. If you want it, go get it.” Rudderlymad.co.uk and www.taliskerwhisky atlanticchallenge.com