22-year-old Grace Church has become the youngest woman ever to row around the British mainland, after crossing the finish line beneath Tower Bridge, London, with team Nautilus yesterday evening (22 July).
The team has successfully completed the GB Row Challenge , covering approximately 2,000 miles around the coastline of Great Britain without external support. They are set to achieve a new Guinness World Records title for the fastest mixed crew of six, finishing in 38 days, three hours, 41 minutes and 25 seconds.
L-R: Guinness World Record adjudicator Pravin Patel, Matt Bishop, Becky Robb, Kenza Thomas, Grace Church and Aoife Luscombe
When asked how it felt to have earned her place in the history books at just 22 years old, runner and rower Grace said: "This has been the best experience I could've ever asked for. Since I started rowing in my early teens, I've always said that one day I wanted to row around the UK. To now be able to say we actually did it feels surreal. It's a dream come true, and I'll forever be grateful for this unforgettable journey of a lifetime!"
The achievement places Grace and team Nautilus among an elite group, with fewer than 40 people ever having completed a continuous, unsupported circumnavigation of Great Britain by rowing boat.
Grace added: "Swimming together in Mousehole, Cornwall, after pushing hard through the heat, seeing whales and dolphins, and watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets are memories I'll never forget. But more than anything, the best part was getting to spend every day with such amazing people. I feel so grateful to be a part of this team, laughing and joking all together is what made this experience the best.
"The hardest part for me was probably the 2 - 4am shifts, when I struggled to stay awake, or coping with the cold and putting wet kit back on. Steering through strong winds and tides was tough at times, but then getting to surf the waves of speeds up to 10 knots was pretty cool! So if that's the lowest point, I think we all did pretty well, I couldn't be prouder of what we achieved together as a crew."
Rower Grace Church
The expedition has also made a significant contribution to marine science. Throughout the journey, the crews collected environmental data on microplastic pollution, biodiversity, underwater noise pollution, sea temperature and salinity.
The data will now be analysed by scientists at the University of Portsmouth before being shared through The Crown Estate's Marine Data Exchange , one of the world's largest open access collections of marine industry data. The research contributes to a growing long term record of the health of UK coastal waters and will help scientists better understand the effects of human activity on marine ecosystems.
The rowers, with backgrounds spanning healthcare, sustainability, education and environmental management, were led by skipper Aoife Luscombe, who returned this year after being forced to abandon her 2024 attempt on the Cornish coast.
Skipper Aoife Luscombe
Aoife said: "After four years of working towards this challenge it's definitely a 'pinch me' moment to have passed under Tower Bridge last night and finally made it home! I have loved the spirit of the challenge, aligning citizen science with sport is an amazing way to bring to light both the beauty of the British coastline and the reason we should protect it. I have been blown away by the people and wildlife we met along the way. I certainly won't be forgetting this anytime soon.
"It's hard to say a really low moment as the challenge and the journey itself has been such a privilege, however I think the crew will agree with me in saying the first section of the North Sea was a bit of a drag, with very little winds, a calm sea state and misty days, we were out of signal and had to hand pump water because our batteries weren't charging.
"Luckily as soon as we came alongside Edinburgh we found a favourable wind and surfed the North Sea!"
Although the team started the challenge with six crew members, one rower had to disembark on the south coast, leaving the remaining five to complete the rest of the unsupported circumnavigation.
The team at the finish yesterday (22 July)
Two teams took part in the 2026 GB Row Challenge. Five-man crew team Rowmads completed the challenge last week in 32 days, 30 minutes and 58 seconds. They are the first and fastest team of five to complete the GB Row Challenge unsupported.
The GB Row Challenge is widely regarded as one of the toughest rowing races in the world. Crews must navigate approximately 2,000 miles around the coastline of Great Britain without external support, relying entirely on their preparation, teamwork and determination to overcome some of the most challenging waters in Europe.
The team's Guinness World Records title is subject to verification by the Ocean Rowing Society.
This year's joint headline sponsors are Cleaner Seas Group and Simply Sustainable , two organisations focused on advancing practical solutions to environmental challenges.
