Atlantic Campaigns insisted on expanding the race beyond its British roots, which was crucial to the growing inclusivity of the sport. But that women like Savage and McClure break the image of the traditional explorer matters most. “It was not long ago that an Ironman was considered crazy,” McClure said. “This is what we are thinking about possibly changing.”
The Atlantic Challenge is also beginning, albeit slowly, to reflect the racial diversity you would expect from a racial organization whose staff members represent 21 ten nationalities, and an endurance that is an eighth of the world.
In the 2019 event, the Antiguans Christal Clashing, Kevinia Francis, Elvira Bell and Samara Emmanuel became the first black team – male or female – to complete the race. To date, the Atlantic Challenge has had seven black entrants, including the Antiguan women.
“By being able to undertake such a journey, we could write our own story, and take control of the story that black people do not swim, they do not do such activities,” Clashing said. “Finally, we could say: ‘ Yes, there was a cultural trauma that occurred to us across the Atlantic, but we no longer let it dictate what we do. ‘ ‘
This year included athletes from Spain and South Africa, Antigua and Uruguay, the United States and Britain. At a time when many sporting events were drastically changed or wheeled in, the race – one of the worlds most socially distant – could move forward.
As Harrison approached her final weeks of travel, the weather remained calm and the surface of the water shook in ‘the brightest turquoise you have ever seen’, she said on 12 February by satellite phone. A pod of Risso’s dolphins follows her for hours. Next to her rolls a blue whale, the white, muddy edge of his finger is almost moving.