Record-breaking rowers to give inspiring talk at Wold Escapes

An inspiring talk from record-breaking Pacific rowing duo Miriam Payne and Jess Rowe, who became the first all-female team to row the world’s biggest ocean non-stop and unsupported, will take place at Wold Escapes in Southburn in March.

Miriam, 26, from Market Weighton and Jess, 28, from Hampshire overcame unimaginable challenges which put their endurance, problem-solving and resilience to the ultimate test to complete the epic adventure on the high seas.

Taking 165 days, almost six months, to complete their voyage, the duo from the Seas the Day Ocean Rowing Team began their great Pacific escapade in Peru, South America in May 2025.

They continued west, rowing 15 hours a day, before reaching Cairns in Australia on 18th October, having covered 8,213 nautical miles.

Onboard Velocity, their 9-meter Rossiter Ocean 2 rowing boat, the duo used this opportunity to foster empowerment, especially in young women, break several world records along the way, and most importantly raise more than £100,000 for The Outward Bound Trust, a UK-based charity which helps children develop lifelong skills through adventure.

Experienced rowers Miriam and Jess met in 2022 in the Canary Islands when they were preparing for The World’s Toughest Row – previously known as the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – in which they rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.

On that occasion Jess’s team, won the women’s event and Miriam won the solo women’s event in a record time.

After the thrill of that challenge, they got their heads together to come up with an even greater challenge to get them back out onto the ocean.

“I met Jess at the Atlantic race and when I arrived in Antigua, she was still there having completed her team row,” said Miriam.

“Less than 48 hours after setting foot on land, we found ourselves plotting our next challenge, after rowing the Atlantic we thought what can we do to top that.

“We both love the ocean and wanted to give it another bash. There is a Pacific challenge, but it only goes to Hawaii and so we decided to do the whole thing from mainland to mainland.

“It takes a lot to get to the start of a challenge like this, there is a lot of planning and training.

“We had originally set off in April but encountered rudder failure early into the challenge and had to restart our attempt in May.

“In no uncertain terms, the challenge was brutal, but I really enjoyed the peace and quiet of being out there and the simple life. It is quite nice to get away from the chaos of life on the land.

“We had plenty of challenges and setbacks, but it was incredible to see all the wildlife, the stars at night and the sunsets and sunrises.

“Every day is simple; you don’t need much out there – just the bare necessities and that really appeals to me.”

Entirely self-sufficient, the challenge saw the pair rowing together during daylight hours and then solo, in two-hour shifts, at night.

They survived on mainly freeze-dried food, having to eat 5,000 calories a day.

Despite spending 24/7 together throughout the challenge, Miriam said she wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else.

“We got on really well and enjoyed each other’s company. We both share the same passion for the ocean and for the challenge,” she said.

“We were incredibly relieved when we reached Cairns and were just happy to be there. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved although sometimes it still doesn’t feel real. It is taking some time to process it all.”

Miriam and Jess will present their talk at Wold Escapes, home to the Yorkshire Wolds Cookery School at Southburn on Wednesday 18th March at 2pm and 6pm.

The talks will take place in the Yorkshire Wolds Cookery School dining room and guests will be served a welcome drink and nibbles.

All proceeds from the talk will be donated directly to the Outward Bound Trust charity.

The Outward Bound Trust is a UK-based charity that helps young people develop confidence, resilience and life skills through outdoor adventure. By taking learning beyond the classroom, it gives children and young adults the chance to challenge themselves, build self-belief and realise their potential through powerful, real-world experiences.

“We’re looking forward to coming to Wold Escapes and sharing the highs and lows of the challenge, how we got through it, some of the practicalities of life at sea and how despite the setbacks we managed to have fun every day,” added Miriam.

“We hope to see you there.”

Rebecca Parker from Wold Escapes said: “This promises to be a really inspirational talk by two young ladies with an incredible amount of resilience, determination and passion. They captured some amazing footage whilst they were away which they will share with the audience.”

Tickets for the talks entitled Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable – The Great Pacific Escapade are priced £30 per person which includes a welcome drink and nibbles.

To book please visit www.woldescapes.co.uk or call 01377 270607.