In December 2026, Katie Spotz — world record-holder, endurance athlete, author, and proud U.S. Coast Guard veteran — will launch a 10,000-mile solo row across the Pacific Ocean, from Lima, Peru to Papua New Guinea. It will be the longest nonstop ocean row in history.

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Once a self-described “benchwarmer,” Katie discovered you don’t have to be extraordinary to achieve extraordinary things — and she’s been proving it ever since. Katie first made her mark in 2010, becoming the youngest person to row an ocean solo — a legacy achievement that drew global attention and helped bring clean water to tens of thousands in need.

“She used her raw courage to row the Atlantic, all alone, for 70 days, to make sure people who will never know her name have clean water to drink.” Diane Sawyer, ABC World News Anchor

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Now, she is returning to the oars for her boldest journey yet.

A successful crossing will set the record for the first American woman to row the Pacific Ocean solo — extending her legacy of endurance and purpose.

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For nearly a year, Katie will live alone in a 23-foot boat, battling storms, sleep deprivation, salt sores, and solitude. There will be no support crew — only raw endurance and the will to keep moving forward.

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Expedition By the Numbers

1 ton boat weight

9,100 nautical miles

40 feet waves faced

1,500,000 calories burned

4,000,000 oar strokes

8 months estimated duration

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Just as this expedition pioneers a new frontier in human endurance, it also pioneers one in humanitarian impact: impacting the lives of over 100,000 people through completing national clean-water coverage in Fiji.

Through partnerships with The Sawyer Foundation, the expedition will fund clean-water projects in communities across Fiji, and every stroke on the Pacific represents a step toward a world where no one has to live without safe water.

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Read more about the Fiji clean water project.

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Fewer people have attempted this than have walked on the moon, and completing it will push back the boundaries of what is thought possible in human endurance. Follow along with Katie's journey by following her on social media, subscribing to her newsletter on KatieSpotz.com, or make an impact on clean water access today through a donation to the Sawyer Foundation.