SkyNews reports that three British women, one of whom has incurable cervical cancer, have shattered the world record for rowing across the Atlantic in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Kat Cordiner and teammates Abby Johnston and Charlotte Irving arrived in Antigua on Sunday evening.

The women rowing as the We Are ExtraOARdinary team in their boat named Dolly Parton, completed the 3,000-mile crossing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to the English Harbour in the Caribbean island in 42 days, seven hours, and 17 minutes, knocking seven days off the previous female trio record.

Kat Cordiner, who has incurable cervical cancer, had to finish her treatment before the race. It is thought Ms. Cordiner is the first person to tackle the challenge as a cancer patient. Ms Cordiner had planned the feat for some time but had to put her training on hold when, despite initial treatment, her cancer worsened.

“I found out in the interim that I had a cardiac tumour thrown in, so had to have heart surgery as well,” she said.

“It was only in May last year that I started training and I’m just glad that I got to start the race and ecstatic that I got to finish it.”

She added that she is now in remission but “doctors have told me I don’t have decades, I have years, so I really want to make the most of them”.

The women are raising money for Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.