5 days ago
Ayrshire team set World and British record after completing 100K ski erg challenge
Ski Sirens beat the younger, mixed team target by 10 minutes.
An Ayrshire team has set a world and British record after completing a 100K 'ski erg' challenge.
The team of 10 determined women, called 'Ski Sirens,' beat a younger, mixed team record by 10 minutes and set a new record in the small, women's, 40-49 age category.
The challenge took place at ULT Fitness and Crossfit in Ayr, one year after the first ULT event and was held in aid of Ayrshire Hospice.
Team member Evey Prentice, 54, said: "We sang, we danced, we laughed, we counted and miscounted, we sweated, and we swore.
"We alternated every minute for the first half, then with 40K to go we switched to 45 second changeovers, which was hard to count when you were starting to feel the bite of exhaustion.
"We kept each other going and kept the pace sub two until the last 15K, by which time it had crept up to 2:00:1. With only 30 seconds to blast it and enough time to recover, we began to chase the sub two pace and by the end, although our final screen read a 1:59:9 pace, our verification screen showed a 1:59:8 pace."
The team was coached by Annie Atkins, 61, a multiple British and World record holder in Concept2 indoor rowing.
Evey first met Annie at Prestwick Rowing Club, where she was inspired by Annie's World record achievements.
Aged 50, Evey joined Annie in March 2022 in Rhyl, and earned her first four British and four World records with a large women's team, We Rowed All Night. In the 30-39 and 40-49 age category they set records for 24 hour distance row and 26 hour longest continuous row.
A few months later, in December 2022, Annie's journey took a turn when she underwent emergency treatment after a ruptured bowel led to sepsis.
Overnight she learned she had stage four bowel cancer, was fitted with a stoma and left with a hernia, yet her determination never waned.
At the time of starting chemotherapy, Annie was already planning her comeback regime. Six weeks after surgery and 12 hours after starting chemo she was back to training.
Annie said: "I think having goals and a positive mindset definitely helps your recovery. I would also add that because I was so fit on the lead up to my illness, it definitely helped and although this would be conjecture, I honestly believe I wouldn't be here now had I not initially been so fit."
Annie was in remission in 2024 and joined ULT gym with Evey where the duo found a bunch of like-minded people and formed ULT Rowtorious Lassies, who broke the same records as Rhyl but in a small team of 10women in the 40-49 age category.
Evey said: "In October 2024, Annie and I had competed took solo first and second place, respectively in our age categories in the Driathlon, but we were hungry for more. As the ski erg is part of the Driathlon, Annie looked for a record she thought we could take. There was no record set for the 100K ski erg in the 30-39 and 40-49 age categories.
"Annie approached our original ULT Rowtorious Lassies and managed to get most of them to agree. We needed a couple of others to make up our team of 10 and found them easily from the ULT membership."
The new team involves 10 members, Annie and Evey, Candice Christie, Clare Holland, Geraldine Hunter, Kathryn Chalmers, Lorna McEwan, Lyndsey Lamount, Hilary McNally and Maria Coughtrie.
On May 1, 2025 Annie set up a chat and began posting workouts to prepare the team for the challenge. The team trained together as much as possible, with one, honorary-ULT member, doing her training in Dundee.
Ski Sirens initially aimed for a 2.04 pace, the benchmark set by a younger mixed team, but under Annie's guidance the team improved their technique.
"Most of us had never seen a sub two, below 2mins/500m, pace and some of us were hovering around the 2.10-2.15 pace. However, Annie provided tips on technique and we trained hard to compete easy", said Evey.
Annie added: "The training was hard but I really enjoy training hard. It gives you a focus, drive and so many other great benefits."
Just weeks before the record attempt, Annie received devastating news that her cancer was back.
Evey shared: "She was confused and devastated. With results and treatment up in the air, we all wanted to do what was best for Annie and she wanted us to carry on but, thankfully, passed the baton to me for organising.
"We had already decided, as a team, to donate to Ayrshire Hospice, and Annie wanted to use their Super Summer Draw campaign idea for us."
Supper Summer donations could be put towards a fish supper on the private terrace for families to share with a loved one. Dinos and Renaldo's kindly donated fish suppers and ice creams to the team, while Dinos also donated suppers to Ayrshire Hospice and Outcast supported the team with free iced coffees.
Annie said: "It's always an amazing feeling to crack another endurance event or world record but to know you have been able to help a charity too is an additional bonus.
"I have faced a number of testing times and not just my own battle with cancer but my youngest daughter has faced complex medical issues throughout her life and that is why I actually started doing charity events.
"Then tragically last year my beautiful first grandson passed away at just three-days old. Being able to raise awareness for charities and turn tough times into positives certainly helps me cope better."
While talking about the challenge, Annie said: "I have done many endurance fitness challenges over the years and each have their own unique demands.
"With both the Ski Erg and rowing too, I have had to work at adapting my technique to cater for my abdominal surgery, stoma and incisional hernia. I didn't realise just how much my triceps compensate for my core so three hours into the ski erg event, my triceps were certainly feeling it.
"I always remember, though, that the pain is only temporary unlike the enduring pain others face every day and that helps you power through."
She added: "I will need to review my goals depending on future treatment but I will definitely be advocating and encouraging a 'training through treatment' approach.
"I'm also sure there will be plenty of other challenges and records to break in the future but I really need to keep this quiet as the team will be blocking my number and running the other way when they see me.
"I've managed to get Evey to agree to a cumulative 160K each, on any erg, in the month of August, for the 160K people living with cancer."
To support Ski Sirens charity fundraiser, please visit here.
