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Four U.S. Female Athletes to Paddleboard from Cuba to Florida
Attempting to Set Record in Name of New Foundation 

 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Four U.S. women will attempt to set a women's long distance paddleboarding record by crossing the treacherous 112-mile open ocean route from Havana to Key West, Florida, July 24-25, to mark the formation of the Millennium 

Woman Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering women worldwide. 
Millennium Woman" Foundation (MWF) co-founder and avid paddleboarder, Michael O'Shaughnessy, thought that the sport was the perfect metaphor to underscore the economic, education, social, and other obstacles women face around the globe. 
O'Shaughnessy's wife, Leslie Windram, co-founder and president of MWF, agrees, saying that the challenges the women face on the journey represent a larger effort.

"The challenge of four women crossing this difficult body of water is a testament to the spirit and heart of women today," Windram said. "This team is helping bring to light the last remaining gender equality battle for women - economic parity. We are proud to be a part of their efforts." 

Their journey begins at the Hemingway Marina, 12 miles west of Havana and ends at Historic Harbor in Key West on July 25. If successful, the team will establish a long-distance paddleboard world record for women and match a Guinness world record for the sport of paddleboarding. 

The women on the team range in age from 25 to 43 and all of them are active in water sports. The team members are Ramona d'Viola, 43, Santa Cruz, California; Kelley Jo Helt, 25, Deerfield Beach, Florida; Aline Paterson, 25, Deerfield Beach, Florida; and Christine McCrady, 29, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The team alternate is April Noon, 23, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. 

The team members have diverse athletic backgrounds and their accomplishments include being a former member of the U.S. Women's National Cycling Team (d'Viola); State of Florida's "Lifeguard of the Year" (Paterson); and world champion of Basic Life Support - International Medical Services Championships (McCrady). In spite of their natural athletic abilities, the women have trained extensively for this event and say they have dedicated themselves to completing the trip. 

"For months, we paddled three days a week at 6:30 a.m.," Helt said. "Every morning we got to see the sun rise over the ocean. I never once regretted having to wake up early for the view and morning workout."

The team will rely on a full moon, stars, compass, and a geotechnical satellite positioning system (GPS) for navigation. They will be accompanied by four crew members on a 96-foot yacht, the Princess Sterling, owned by sponsor and water-sports enthusiast, Ron Rice, president of Hawaiian Tropic. Hawaiian Tropic and Trim Spa are the trip sponsors. 

The conditions will not be favorable. The team will have to paddle against prevailing East trade winds and across two branches or "rivers" of the Gulf Stream. They will then have to fight strong currents and tides as they approach the Florida Keys. Expected weather conditions include extreme heat, thunderstorms, and possibly hurricanes. They will also be crossing areas that are shark-infested.

Their scheduled touch point at Key West is Fort Zachary Taylor. When the journey is complete, they will take a celebratory paddle past Mallory Square. 

Only two all-male teams have previously completed the journey. In 2000, a four-man team completed a 105-mile journey in 19 hours and 19 minutes. In 2001, a four-man team completed the 112-mile journey from Havana to Key West in 20 hours and two minutes. 

The journey will be photographed and filmed by independent producer Paul Prewitt, a veteran cameraman who specializes in water sports. Prewitt plans to produce a television documentary on the trip. 

The sport of paddleboarding involves a sleek, fiberglass board, which is a cross between a surfboard and a kayak. Paddlers lie prone, or in a position up on their knees, and use only hands and arms as propulsion devices. Paddleboard's were first developed and used in the 1920's by early American watermen. 

The Millennium Woman Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to elevate and empower women worldwide through education, targeting the five integrated areas of a women's life: health, personal, financial, family, and knowledge. MWF is developing a self-sustaining brand that focuses on the creation and dissemination of knowledge, products, and services to improve the economic and social well-being of women.

 

Storms Thwart Paddleboard World Record Attempt 
U.S. women travel halfway from Cuba to Key West 
before lightning threatens safety 
 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Four U.S. women who attempted to set a women's long distance paddleboarding record by crossing the treacherous 112-mile open ocean route from Havana to Key West, Florida, had to stop approximately 50 miles outside of Cuba due to inclement weather. When they encountered storms and dangerous lightning, the captain made the 
decision to pull the athletes out of the water and cancel the trip for their safety. 

The journey began to mark the formation of the Millennium Woman Foundation (MWF), an organization dedicated to improving the economic and social well-being of women worldwide. Leslie Windram, MWF president, said the organization is proud of the attempt and appreciates the effort the women made under very difficult circumstances. "It is all about the effort," Windram said. "These four women are true representations of the MWF beliefs." It is reported by project director Paul Prewitt that the women were paddling strong when weather forced them to stop. Prewitt says the women were confident they could have completed the trip if it had not been for bad weather, but their spirits were high because they had done their best. A future attempt is being discussed, but no details are available at this time. 

Their journey began at Hemingway Marina, 12 miles west of Havana and was scheduled to end at Historic Harbor, Key West at approximately 3 p.m. today. The team would have established a long-distance paddleboard world record for women and matched a Guinness world record for the sport of paddleboarding. 

The sport of paddleboarding involves a sleek, fiberglass board, which is a cross between a surfboard and a kayak. Paddlers lie prone, or in a position up on their knees, and use only hands and arms as propulsion devices.

World Record Breaking Event 
2002 PRESS RELEASE
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