Sarah Outen
Encyclopedia
Sarah Dilys Outen MBE
FRGS
(born 26 May 1985) is an English adventurer. She is the first and only woman and the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean
.
before reading Biology at St Hugh's College, Oxford
where she started rowing in 2004.
, Western Australia, on 1 April 2009 in her 19ft boat called Serendipity. She rowed for 124 days, 14 hours and 9 minutes before arriving at Bois des Amourettes, on the island of Mauritius
, on 3 August 2009. She was the first woman to attempt the crossing single-handedly, and only the fourth person to ever complete a solo crossing.
Her journey raised more than £30,000 for two charities, Arthritis Care
and Arthritis Research Campaign
. She dedicated the crossing to the memory of her late father who passed away in 2006. She was elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
shortly afterwards and awarded three Guinness World Records
for her crossing. She currently holds a total of three Guinness World Records
On 1 April 2011, Outen set off on her latest expedition - 'London to London: Via the World'. This Sarah-powered loop of the planet will involve the first ever attempt by a woman to row across the North Pacific Ocean. She will row, cycle and kayak her way from London back to London, sharing stories about the adventure and experience. The 20,000 mile journey will take 2.5 years to complete. During her expedition, she will be cycling across Europe, Asia, America, Canada and rowing the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans.
following her successful Indian Ocean crossing in 2009. Outen was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
for services to rowing, conservation and charity.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
FRGS
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
(born 26 May 1985) is an English adventurer. She is the first and only woman and the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
Education
Outen attended Stamford High SchoolStamford High School, Lincolnshire
Stamford High School is an English girls' Independent School situated in the market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England on .-Education:...
before reading Biology at St Hugh's College, Oxford
St Hugh's College, Oxford
St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a fourteen and a half acre site on St Margaret's Road, to the North of the city centre. It was founded in 1886 as a women's college, and accepted its first male students in its centenary year in 1986...
where she started rowing in 2004.
Rowing solo across the Indian Ocean
After an eleven day failed attempt which she dubbed her 'Warm Up Lap', Outen set out again from FremantleFremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Western Australia, on 1 April 2009 in her 19ft boat called Serendipity. She rowed for 124 days, 14 hours and 9 minutes before arriving at Bois des Amourettes, on the island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, on 3 August 2009. She was the first woman to attempt the crossing single-handedly, and only the fourth person to ever complete a solo crossing.
Her journey raised more than £30,000 for two charities, Arthritis Care
Arthritis Care
Arthritis Care is the UK's largest charity dedicated to supporting people with arthritis . It is a user led organisation which means people with arthritis are at the heart of its work – they form its membership, are involved in its activities and are well represented on its staff and board of...
and Arthritis Research Campaign
Arthritis Research Campaign
The organisation formerly known as Arthritis Research Campaign is a British medical research charity dedicated to curing arthritis....
. She dedicated the crossing to the memory of her late father who passed away in 2006. She was elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
shortly afterwards and awarded three Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for her crossing. She currently holds a total of three Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
Current projects
She is a popular motivational speaker both in the UK and internationally.On 1 April 2011, Outen set off on her latest expedition - 'London to London: Via the World'. This Sarah-powered loop of the planet will involve the first ever attempt by a woman to row across the North Pacific Ocean. She will row, cycle and kayak her way from London back to London, sharing stories about the adventure and experience. The 20,000 mile journey will take 2.5 years to complete. During her expedition, she will be cycling across Europe, Asia, America, Canada and rowing the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans.
Honours
She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical SocietyRoyal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
following her successful Indian Ocean crossing in 2009. Outen was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
for services to rowing, conservation and charity.
Publishing
Sarah has recently published her first book A Dip In The Ocean: Rowing Solo Across The Indian Ocean was published by Summersdale on 7 February 2011. Since March 2011, She has now sold over 4000 copies worldwide.External links
- Sarah Outen's expedition website
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-12906726Sarah Outen photo gallery from BBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio Leicester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The station broadcasts from studios in Leicester on 104.9 FM, on DAB, and via the BBC iPlayer.-History:...
] - Sarah Outen feature in WideWorld magazine