31-year-old Abby Johnson will join Kat Cordiner, 40, who has incurable cancer.

Kat from St Neots, Cambridgeshire, and her two teammates leave the UK later for La Gomera in the Canary Islands, for the 3,000-mile (4,828km) race in December.

She admitted training had been “a challenge” but said “a challenge and something fun” was what she wanted.

“But I feel strong,” Ms Cordiner said.

She will be joined by Charlotte Irving, 32, from London, and Abby Johnston, a 31-year-old professional rowing coach from Surrey.

The trio will be unsupported as they attempt to cross the world’s second largest ocean on their boat, which they have named Dolly Parton. They will live on their 7.6m (25ft) boat, rowing continuously, with two hours on and two hours off for each rower.

Speaking the day before they leave the UK, Ms Cordiner said: “Sometimes I wish I’d had longer [to train], but I’m physically fit, I’ve been signed off medically as well, and I feel mentally ready for the race.

“I feel strong. I think we’re going to be good – but it’s been a challenge.”

Last year, during lockdown, Ms Cordiner was given her second diagnosis of cervical cancer and told it was incurable. She is now in remission and only taking drugs to deal with the effects of an early menopause.

“The doctors have told me I don’t have decades, I have years, so I really want to make the most of them,” she said.

Up to 25 teams are taking part in this year’s Atlantic race and Ms Cordiner’s team hopes to complete it in 49 days or less, in the hope of beating the current Guinness World Record for the fastest female trio to cross the Atlantic. But it could take up to 60 days, she admitted.

They will be on the ocean at Christmas, but the festivities will not be forgotten as they have been given “some tinsel and Christmas toilet paper” by friends. They also have miniature bottles of bubbly – one each for Christmas Day, she said.

Her parents, Kathryn and Hew, said they were “very proud, but also nervous and concerned”.

“We’ll be massively relieved when she finishes the crossing line,” Mr Cordiner said.

“We’ve given her a Christmas cake to take with her, and we’ll slice ours and think of her,” he added.

Asked if she was nervous about the Atlantic challenge, Ms Cordiner said: “On the actual start-line, I’ll probably have a moment of ‘what are we doing?’.

“But the quicker we can get to Antigua [the finish line], the quicker we can have a banana colada,” she joked.

Money raised from their attempt will go to Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

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