RECORD-breaker Jasmine Harrison made a triumphant visit to Thirsk town centre to enable people to get up close to the boat she rowed solo across the Atlantic on.

At aged 21, Jasmine became the youngest woman to row solo across an ocean when she completed the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in February.

The gruelling route, from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua, took Jasmine 70 days, three hours and 48 minutes and secured her a place in the record books.

Upon her return home to Thirsk, she made history for the second time by being awarded the Freedom of Thirsk and Sowerby Parishes in recognition of her incredible achievement.

On Saturday, Jasmine was in Thirsk market place with her boat Argo to chat to passers-by and to thank all the local sponsors who helped make her Atlantic achievement possible.

Atlantic Rower Jasmine Harrison with her boat in Thirsk Market Place Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Atlantic Rower Jasmine Harrison with her boat in Thirsk Market Place Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

She said: “It was a big thing that needed to be done to round it all off really.

“It was an opportunity for the people of Thirsk to see my boat and also celebrate the sponsors that helped me along the way; it gave them the opportunity to come down to somewhere at the same time to see Argo and have a bit of a celebration really.

“It was a really nice atmosphere, everybody was buzzing, a lot of people were interested and there was nothing negative about the whole day, it was all just brilliant.”

Jasmine said that she was proud of her Thirsk hometown and was grateful for all the support and positivity she received throughout her record-breaking achievement.

She said: “I am proud, I like my hometown and it is also the fact that every single sponsor I had came from Thirsk, except for one from Northallerton which is literally down the road.

“It’s so nice that they supported me and that I could come back and be there to say thank you.”

During Saturday’s event, Jasmine also received her Freedom certificates from David Jackson, the Deputy Mayor of Thirsk, and Mark Robson, Chairman of Sowerby Parish Council.

She said she is the only person to have received such an accolade and it was difficult to describe how proud she felt about it.

Atlantic Rower Jasmine Harrison with her boat in Thirsk Market Place David Jackson Deputy Mayor of Thirsk and Mark Robson Chairman of Sowerby Parish Council present her with the freedom of Sowerby certificates Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Atlantic Rower Jasmine Harrison with her boat in Thirsk Market Place David Jackson Deputy Mayor of Thirsk and Mark Robson Chairman of Sowerby Parish Council present her with the freedom of Sowerby certificates Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“There isn’t really any words for it to be fair,” she said. “I feel so honoured.”

Jasmine also wanted to send an apology to her supporters and Thirsk residents who weren’t aware that she would be in the town centre with her boat on Saturday.

Due to Covid restrictions, it was not allowed to be advertised as an event through fear of large crowds gathering and Jasmine said she ‘felt a bit rude’ not being able to tell all the people who had followed her journey.

However, Argo is on display in Twisted’s Thirsk showroom for anybody who wants to see it.

After conquering the Atlantic solo, Jasmine could be forgiven for relaxing, but she has instead thrown herself into a series of mini-challenges such as fencing, cycling and running.

She has grouped the challenges to mark her age - such as completing 21 runs - and joked that it will culminate in her drinking 21 different drinks to celebrate her 22nd birthday this Saturday.