Katie Spotz
Encyclopedia
Katie Spotz is an American
adventurer who became the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean
, departing from Dakar
, Senegal
on January 3, 2010, and landing in Guyana
on March 14, 2010. She was the first person to have swum the entire length of the Allegheny River
in New York
state and Pennsylvania
.
Katie works for Kinetico Incorporated
as a marketing representative and clean water advocate speaking to schools and groups across the country. She is currently in training for her next endurance challenge, a bike race across America called "Ride for Your Lives." On June 18, 2011, Katie, along with several teammates, embarked on an eight-day cycle race to raise awareness and funds for two charities, Blue Planet Network and FARM-Africa.
, Ohio
. She graduated from Mentor High School in 2005 and Warren Wilson College
in Asheville
, North Carolina
, in 2008.
, which runs between New York state and Pennsylvania. Accompanied by safety kayaker, James Hendershott, the two started at the river's source in Raymond, Pennsylvania on July 22 and finished at the "Point" where the Allegheny and the Monongahela River
join to form the Ohio River
in Downtown Pittsburgh less than a month later, on August 21.
crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
, in a planned 2,473 mile westward route from Senegal
to French Guiana
. Enroute she altered the route, increasing the total distance by approximately 400 miles, setting Georgetown, Guyana
as the terminus for a total distance of 2,817 miles. Spotz altered course because weather conditions at her original destination were not favorable for an unassisted landing. She completed the trip on March 14, 2010, to become the youngest person to ever row solo across the Atlantic Ocean and the only American to row solo from Africa to South America. Spotz is also only the second woman to have rowed solo across the Atlantic from mainland to mainland, following the January 2007 crossing by Sophie Macé of France who rowed from Saint Louis, Senegal, to Saint Laurent, French Guyana.
Katie's boat, "Liv", is a 19-foot vessel that was used in a successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. The boat was designed by British boat designer Phil Morrison
, who had been asked by Scottish rower Chay Blyth
, who himself rowed across the North Atlantic in 1966, to design a small, light boat capable of surviving extreme conditions. This design was later modified to a solo vessel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
adventurer who became the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, departing from Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
on January 3, 2010, and landing in Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
on March 14, 2010. She was the first person to have swum the entire length of the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Katie works for Kinetico Incorporated
Kinetico Incorporated
Kinetico Incorporated manufactures and sells residential and commercial water treatment systems. It offers products through a network of independent dealers and international distributors, representing nearly 100 countries....
as a marketing representative and clean water advocate speaking to schools and groups across the country. She is currently in training for her next endurance challenge, a bike race across America called "Ride for Your Lives." On June 18, 2011, Katie, along with several teammates, embarked on an eight-day cycle race to raise awareness and funds for two charities, Blue Planet Network and FARM-Africa.
Early life
Spotz was born in MentorMentor, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 50,278 people, 18,797 households, and 14,229 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,878.2 people per square mile . There were 19,301 housing units at an average density of 721.0 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. She graduated from Mentor High School in 2005 and Warren Wilson College
Warren Wilson College
Warren Wilson College is a private four-year work college in the Swannanoa Valley, North Carolina, United States near Asheville. It is known for its curriculum of work, academics, and service, called "the Triad," which requires every student to work an on-campus job, perform at least one hundred...
in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, in 2008.
Allegheny River swim
In 2008, Spotz became the first person to swim the entire 325 mile (523 km) length of the Allegheny RiverAllegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, which runs between New York state and Pennsylvania. Accompanied by safety kayaker, James Hendershott, the two started at the river's source in Raymond, Pennsylvania on July 22 and finished at the "Point" where the Allegheny and the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
join to form the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
in Downtown Pittsburgh less than a month later, on August 21.
Record-breaking Atlantic crossing
On January 3, 2010, Spotz embarked on a solo ocean rowingOcean rowing
Ocean rowing is the sport of rowing across oceans. The sport is as much a psychological as it is a physical challenge. Rowers often have to endure long periods at sea without help often many days if not weeks away. The challenge is especially acute for solo rowers who are held in especially high...
crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, in a planned 2,473 mile westward route from Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
to French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
. Enroute she altered the route, increasing the total distance by approximately 400 miles, setting Georgetown, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
as the terminus for a total distance of 2,817 miles. Spotz altered course because weather conditions at her original destination were not favorable for an unassisted landing. She completed the trip on March 14, 2010, to become the youngest person to ever row solo across the Atlantic Ocean and the only American to row solo from Africa to South America. Spotz is also only the second woman to have rowed solo across the Atlantic from mainland to mainland, following the January 2007 crossing by Sophie Macé of France who rowed from Saint Louis, Senegal, to Saint Laurent, French Guyana.
Katie's boat, "Liv", is a 19-foot vessel that was used in a successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. The boat was designed by British boat designer Phil Morrison
Phil Morrison (yachts)
Phil Morrison is a British boat designer and racer rendered notable by the success of his many designs in many classes since 1967 as well as his own distinguished yacht racing career.He was born in Eastbourne, England....
, who had been asked by Scottish rower Chay Blyth
Chay Blyth
Sir Charles Blyth, CBE, BEM , known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish yachtsman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world , on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.- Early life:...
, who himself rowed across the North Atlantic in 1966, to design a small, light boat capable of surviving extreme conditions. This design was later modified to a solo vessel.
Career highlights
- Swim for Water: Became first person to swim the entire length of the 325-mile Allegheny RiverAllegheny RiverThe Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, averaging 12–15 miles per day, and with a one day swim of 22 miles - Big Ride Across America: Cycled 3,300 miles across the United States from Seattle to Washington, D.C., averaging 85 miles a day for forty days
- Desert Run: Ran 150 miles across the Mojave DesertMojave DesertThe Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
and Colorado DesertColorado DesertCalifornia's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
, solo and self-supported - Half Ironman TriathlonIronman TriathlonAn Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
: First in age group - Cycled over 1,000 miles of solo bike tours within the United States, with a longest single day ride of 236 miles
- Oxfam Trail Run: Completed 62-mile ultra marathon in Melbourne, Australia