Nineteen women from Whanganui Prison are aiming for a world record - the first all-female team to row one million metres.
The women are all employed at Whanganui Prison as corrections officers, medical staff or sentence managers, or are partners of corrections officers.
Participant and team spokeswoman, Jodi Rasmusen, said a group of men from Whanganui Prison had last year cracked one million metres, inspiring their female colleagues to attempt the same.
"We thought, why not have an all-women team? It's never been done before," Ms Rasmusen said.
The team is currently rowing in half-hour shifts on the indoor rowing machines at Marist Rugby clubrooms in Hatrick St, with the support of family, friends and colleagues. Some of the male rowers from the prison are rowing alongside the women in support.