January 15th marks the 20-year anniversary of quite an arduous day in Sarah and Emily's journey... one that has forever changed their lives.
Come along to hear stories of inspiration, adventure, failure, and ultimately success on the high seas, and how these relate to thriving through the trials and tribulations one inevitably encounters in life on land.
Testing the limits of the human spirit: adventures in ocean rowing
Thursday 15 January
6-7pm
Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1, Tūranga
Free, get your ticket here
Dr Sarah Kessans is now an Associate Professor in UC's School of Product Design, leading research teams which are helping to support life both on and off the Earth, but prior to her career in Aotearoa, she was dreaming of adventure back in the United States.
After four years of research and rowing as an undergraduate at Purdue University and before pursuing her PhD at Arizona State University, Sarah embarked on an endeavour which boasts fewer participants than people who have successfully summited Everest: ocean rowing.
Pairing up with fellow Purdue oarswoman Emily Kohl to become Team American Fire, the team set off in December 2005 to become the youngest females and only Americans in the Woodvale Events Atlantic Rowing Race, a 5000 km, fully self-supported race across the Atlantic Ocean, using only four oars and mental and physical fortitude to propel their 7-meter wooden boat from the Canary Islands to Antigua.
Although the race is meant to test the limits of the human spirit, the 2005 edition held unusual challenges with added trials caused by the multiple hurricanes and tropical storms that battered the fleet of 26 rowing boats.