Adidas Outdoor athlete Sonya Baumstein departs from Choshi, Japan in her
attempt to be the first female to solo row non-stop across the Pacific
Ocean from Japan to San Francisco. She departed at 17:10 JST, Sunday,
June 7. Photo Credit:
Scott Hancock for Adidas Outdoor

Adidas Outdoor  athlete Sonya Baumstein, 29, departed from Choshi, Japan June 7 to begin her attempt to become the first female to row solo from Japan to San Francisco.

Her trip, roughly four to six months, is approximately 6,000-miles, rowing 14-18 hours per day in a custom carbon boat weighing less than 775 pounds without a motor or sail. Baumstein's boat was built and outfitted in Port Townsend, WA, by SpinDrift Rowing and she can be tracked at www.expeditionpacific.com.

During the expedition, Baumstein will:

  • Store and consume more than 1,000 lbs. of freeze-dried food and 180 drink supplements
  • Drink olive oil to retain weight
  • Use an electric water maker that produces 30 liters of water per hour
  • Sleep in a small berth with straps to hold her secure during rough weather
  • Collect thousands of data points to help calibrate and validate current oceanographic research tools
  • Communicate using a satellite phone for emergency and data collection
  • Communicate with schools in the U.S. about her journey through the Expedition Pacific Ocean Ambassadors program

“Preparing for a journey like Sonya's requires dedication and mental toughness. We know she is ready to overcome any challenges she will encounter,” said Greg Thomsen, Adidas Outdoor U.S. managing director. “We look forward to communicating with her to track her progress, not only for her personal achievements, but also, for the advancements in science. We wish her smooth seas and a safe passage.”

This mission will be the first collection of shallow surface data, as the rowboat sits just one foot below the water, and will gain additional knowledge about ocean salinity, fresh water and temperature.

Depending on wind, waves and weather, Baumstein is expected to row 40 to 60 miles a day. She will use her previous experiences from stand-up paddle boarding across the Bering Strait in 2013 and rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Barbados in 2011, and will apply survival skills based on what she learned.