Meet: Mo O’Brien, aiming become the first deaf person to row the Atlantic

Dubbed “the world’s toughest row”, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge starts in La Gomera in the Canary Islands and ends 3,000 miles away in the island of Antigua. With just over one week before she takes on the challenge herself, rower Mo O’Brien talks to Liam O’Dell about The Oarsome Foursome, her preparations and having the pop band Coldplay as sponsors.

“I want to prove to myself and to others that anything is achievable if you believe in yourself,” says Mo, when asked why she decided to take part in the event. “Most people say ‘I wish’ but only you can turn that wish into a reality. For me I needed a tough challenge and with a love of the sea this Atlantic row was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

“Don’t put things off,” she adds. “You don’t know what’s around that corner.”

Indeed, there may well be several obstacles and surprises for Mo on her journey across the Atlantic, and as a profoundly deaf rower, there’s likely to be a few additional challenges as she is set to become the first deaf person to row across the ocean.

“Inability to hear conversation or instructions, voices drowned out by wind and sea, unable to hear alarms or bleeping equipment or instruments,” she lists. “We [Mo and her team] have devised some of our own simple signs to help.”

Mo goes on to add that she has had amazing support from the hearing aid provider ReSound: “I have the best hearing aids on offer linked to my phone so I can hear much more than ever before,” she explains. “I also have a mini mic which means I can now hear the person I’m rowing with and join in conversations. I can also use the app to control the wind noise so it doesn’t drown everything else out.”

Alongside the technical support, Mo won’t be alone on the journey. As part of the so-called ‘Oarsome Foursome’, she will be joined by daughter Bird Watts and friend Claire Allinson for the challenge. The fourth and final member, Linda Whittaker, had to withdraw from the race due to health issues, but will be providing land-based support to the team.

On working together as a team, Mo says “we are four very different personalities and we all contribute various strengths to create a strong bond and working relationship as well as strong friendships.”

“The training has been long, steady and sometimes boring sessions,” she continues. “With repetitive exercises building up stamina and endurance rather than sprints. We’ve pushed boundaries and certainly I have done things I didn’t think my body was capable of doing.”

Ahead of the challenge, the quartet have launched an online crowdfunder, asking members of the public to donate towards their race to fund the purchase of the boat and safety equipment.

The team have already raised over £4,000 of their £20,000 target, and at the end of the challenge all equipment will be sold to raise money for three charities: Cornwall Blood Bikes, Carefree and Hospiscare Exmouth & Lympstone.

As well as members of the public donating to support the rowers, the team have also received sponsorship from a hit UK band, with Chris Martin and his band Coldplay getting behind the crew.

“My dad told me about some ladies where I’m from doing something amazing,” the frontman tweeted in August. “Everywhere I look I see people being brilliant.”

After the band first showed their support, Mo’s initial reaction was one of excitement. “[I was] very pleased and proud to think that such a busy, successful band would take time out to express interest in what we are doing and to support us,” she says.

With just over a week to go towards the race, people can still donate to their fundraiser. You can find out more about the team and their journey leading up to the race on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as on their website.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and blogger from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.