Kate is home after the last leg of a truly epic journey
Kate pictured with her proud dad on her arrival at Belfast City Airport on Wednesday morning. INPT05-229.
WORLD record-breaker Kate Richardson has returned home to Portadown, completing the last leg of an epic journey which included two starkly contrasting Atlantic crossings.
Wednesday’s heart-warming welcome took the icy chill off a freezing February morning for Atlantic champion Kate, who, although exposed to the elements over the past couple of months in a way most of us never will, has had no recent experience of our winter temperatures!
Strikingly bronzed from more than six weeks at sea, supplemented by 10 days of Caribbean sun, Kate arrived into Belfast City airport from Gatwick after flying overnight from Barbados – an Atlantic crossing which took over 45 days less than her boat trip in the opposite direction!
It was the first time she’d set foot on Ulster soil since November 19, when she left for the Canary Islands to take on the challenge of a lifetime – rowing 3,000 miles to raise awareness of human trafficking and funds for associated charities.
Her Row for Freedom crewmates were heading straight to the Channel Five studios for a live appearance on the Gabby Logan show but sole Northern Ireland team member Kate, accompanied by mum Marina, opted to skip the bright lights of London for home, sweet home.
Being part of the team that rowed across the Atlantic in the shortest time ever for an all-female crew earned Kate what must have come close to the longest ever group hug by best buddy Judith Craig and a couple of other friends who had turned up to welcome her back.
Like her family, when they said goodbye before she embarked on the perilous Atlantic Challenge – in which the Row for Freedom crew finished fifth – the girls must have had real doubts whether they’d ever see the brave 22-year-old again.
The same applied to Kate’s dad, Mark, who had waved her off from La Gomera as dawn broke on December 7, and his heartfelt embrace with his redoubtable daughter embodied a great feeling of relief as well as pride.
“It’s so great to have her home and, just seeing her here so fit and healthy looking, it’s hard to imagine what she and the crew have been through over the past couple of months,” reflected Mark.
“But the enormity of their achievement has started sinking in – I was in Enniskillen yesterday with work and someone there mentioned about it. We’re really proud of what Kate has done, and for a worthy cause too.”
Reaching dry land in Barbados brought an outpouring of emotion but touching down on home ground this week was another overwhelming moment for Kate as her journey of a lifetime neared its end.
“Oh my goodness, I don’t deserve this,” she gasped when emerging to be greeted by a big bunch of flowers and banner hailing her achievement as the first female from the island of Ireland ever to have completed the Atlantic Challenge.
She still faced one last ordeal – shivering as she stripped off layers to pose for Portadown Times photographer Tony Hendron in an ‘I Rowed the Atlantic T-shirt’ in a chill breeze outside the airport, prompting good-natured banter from friends about the price of fame!
The young adventurer has lost a little weight at sea but gained a wealth of experience and earned widespread respect – though her heroics and new-found fame matter little to those who already thought the world of her anyway.
Like everyone else, they can only marvel at the fantastic feats, but more than anything Kate’s family and friends from Portadown and beyond are simply pleased to have her home safe and sound after those two completely contrasting Atlantic crossings.
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Weather for Portadown
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
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