Crew from California to Hawaii in record time

The women’s rowing crew completed the record-breaking voyage from San Francisco to Hawaii on the morning of Tuesday, July 26, after rowing for nearly 35 consecutive days. The four women – Libby Costello, Sophia Denison Johnston, Brooke Downs and Adrienne Smith – left San Francisco Bay on June 21 and swam more than 2,400 nautical miles (2,761.8 land miles) in 34 days, 14 hours and 11 minutes. Their arrival at Honolulu’s Waikiki Yacht Club on Monday evening made them the fastest women’s team to complete the journey, breaking the previous women’s record by a full day, local media reported. To accomplish the feat, the crew rowed in pairs for two-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, ate prepackaged meals and never slept more than 90 minutes at a time, according to news reports. It was part of the Great Pacific Race, considered one of the most difficult races in the world, where rowing teams complete the journey from California to Hawaii completely independently and without assistance. The team raised money for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), a charity dedicated to raising awareness and improving the diagnosis, treatment and management of anxiety and other mental disorders in children and adults. Posted by @lat35racing via Storyful