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A 31-year-old ocean rower aims to become the first American woman to row solo from California to Hawaii, and also set the record as the youngest and fastest woman to complete the challenge.Kelsey Pfendler has been at sea in the Pacific on a boat she’s named Lily since departing from Monterey on May 21. She has been sharing updates from the first few days of the epic undertaking on social media. “It’s pretty hard to get off the coast of California,” Pfendler said on the second day of the voyage, while showing off her blistered hands. “The current pushes you down south and a lot of the wind direction is either south or sometimes a headwind.”Pfendler checked in again on day three after a “big win,” crossing the continental shelf. On day four, she spoke about securing her items on Lily to prepare for “some big weather” in the coming days. Fans can track her progress on her website here.The trip to O’ahu will cover more than 2,400 miles. Pfendler aims to shatter a world record held by Lia Ditton of 86 days, 10 hours and 5 minutes.If she completes the trip, Pfendler would become just the third woman to row to Hawaii unassisted. Pfendler previously completed the task in 2024 with three other women as part of the World’s Toughest Row – Pacific. She was the skipper. That trip took 40 days, 22 hours and 14 minutes, according to her website. Pfendler’s online bio says she has been a professional raft guide since age 18 and has guided trips on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon for the past eight years. She told the San Francisco Chronicle that in the winter she works as an emergency room technician. Pfendler previously competed on the USA Women’s Open Raft Race Team and for Team USA in the World Rafting Championships in 2022, according to her bio. The trip is also raising money for the Whale Foundation, an organization that supports the Grand Canyon river guiding community.
A 31-year-old ocean rower aims to become the first American woman to row solo from California to Hawaii, and also set the record as the youngest and fastest woman to complete the challenge.
Kelsey Pfendler has been at sea in the Pacific on a boat she’s named Lily since departing from Monterey on May 21. She has been sharing updates from the first few days of the epic undertaking on social media.
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“It’s pretty hard to get off the coast of California,” Pfendler said on the second day of the voyage, while showing off her blistered hands. “The current pushes you down south and a lot of the wind direction is either south or sometimes a headwind.”
Pfendler checked in again on day three after a “big win,” crossing the continental shelf. On day four, she spoke about securing her items on Lily to prepare for “some big weather” in the coming days.
The trip to O’ahu will cover more than 2,400 miles. Pfendler aims to shatter a world record held by Lia Ditton of 86 days, 10 hours and 5 minutes.
If she completes the trip, Pfendler would become just the third woman to row to Hawaii unassisted.
Pfendler previously completed the task in 2024 with three other women as part of the World’s Toughest Row – Pacific. She was the skipper. That trip took 40 days, 22 hours and 14 minutes, according to her website.
Pfendler’s online bio says she has been a professional raft guide since age 18 and has guided trips on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon for the past eight years.
She told the San Francisco Chronicle that in the winter she works as an emergency room technician.
Pfendler previously competed on the USA Women’s Open Raft Race Team and for Team USA in the World Rafting Championships in 2022, according to her bio.
The trip is also raising money for the Whale Foundation, an organization that supports the Grand Canyon river guiding community.
