A St Hugh’s alumna has rowed across the Pacific from Japan to Alaska – and is thought to be the first person to complete the solo voyage.
Sarah Outen, who read Biology, rowed 3,750 nautical miles in 150 days and arrived in Adak in the Aleutian Islands on Monday.
She told Cherwell, “I am so happy to be safely ashore after some of the most amazing months of my life. And stoked that it all started in Oxford – that’s when I started to row. Thank you St Hugh’s/OUWBC!”
The voyage was part of her London2London: Via the World expedition; she is attempting to row, kayak and cycle across two oceans, three continents and 14 countries in a continuous loop around the world. The expedition began on 1 April 2011 at London’s Tower Bridge and will see her row 7,500 nautical miles and cycle 16,000 miles in total.
Bridget Fryer, outgoing President of Oxford University Women’s Boat Club, said, “It is great to hear of Sarah Outen’s achievement. We are extremely proud to have her as an alumni of the Oxford University Women’s Boat Club and I hope that her determination and courage is an inspiration to current and future oarswomen at Oxford University and throughout the UK.”
After completing the North Pacific crossing Outen, 28, commented, “I have pushed myself to my absolute limits both physically and mentally to make land here in Alaska, and body and mind are now exhausted.”
She added, “I am so grateful to everyone for supporting my return after Mawar – sponsors, family, friends at home and in Japan and my team. Without them I wouldn’t be here. I am solo only physically – there are in fact a lot of people on my boat with me!”
Outen previously attempted the voyage in May 2012 but had to be rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard 25 days in after her boat was damaged by Typhoon Mawar. During her second attempt the rower capsized five times, narrowly avoided a collision with a cargo ship and was forced by high winds and bad weather to row to Alaska instead of Canada as planned.
A spokesperson for St Hugh’s told Cherwell, “St Hugh’s is extremely proud of Sarah’s achievement. Not only has she successfully completed a demanding physical and mental challenge, she is also raising a significant amount of money for charity. We would also like to congratulate her on her recent engagement and wish her all the best for the future.”
Outen proposed to her girlfriend Lucy via a satellite telephone whilst in the middle of the Pacific. She will move on to the next leg of the journey in 2014 when she will kayak through the Archipelago to mainland Alaska. Outen is expected to complete her London2London expedition in late 2015 and is hoping to raise over £100,000 for CoppaFeel!, the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, The Jubilee Sailing Trust and WaterAid.
A third year undergraduate at Exeter College said, “I will try and think of Sarah when I’m sweating on the Isis and be humbled. Big respect!”
