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adidas Outdoor Athlete Sonya Baumstein Attempts First Female Solo Row Across Pacific Ocean


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Baumstein Currently Working to Raise Funds to Support 6,000-Mile Expedition

Los Angeles, Calif., December 18, 2014 – adidas Outdoor (adidas.com/outdoor), the athletic brand in the outdoors, today announced its athlete Sonya Baumstein, 29, will attempt to be the first female to successfully row solo from Japan to San Francisco next spring. During the 4-6 month expedition, Baumstein will row 14-18 hours per day in a custom carbon boat weighing less than 350 kilograms without a motor or sail.

Baumstein’s expedition preparations include the following:

  • Vacuum sealing 900 Backpackers Pantry dehydrated meals
  • Packing 180 drink supplements
  • Using an electric watermaker that produces 30 liters of water per hour
  • Preparing an electrical system that runs entirely off of Solbian solar panels and lithium batteries
  • Carrying six Sawyer ocean oars on board
  • The closest human beings during her trip will be space station employees

“Although Sonya’s medium is different than most of our other athletes, her ultimate goal is the same – to push herself to the limits to accomplish something no one has ever done before,” said Greg Thomsen, adidas Outdoor U.S. managing director. “We couldn’t be more proud of Sonya and will be supporting her every step of the way.”

Baumstein spent months designing the boat she will take on the expedition. Her preliminary training row for the expedition will likely take place in January, as she rows from Tampa, Fla., to Cozumel, Mexico.

For more information about Baumstein’s journey or to donate to this expedition, please visit expeditionpacific.com/donate

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About adidas Outdoor: adidas Outdoor is the athletic brand in the outdoors. The company’s founder, Adi Dassler, designed equipment solutions for athletes that improved their performance. The long history of adidas Outdoor began in the 1970s with the creation of the first light trekking shoes. Climbing legend Reinhold Messner helped adidas design super light and fast approach hiking shoes for his first Everest ascent without supplemental oxygen in 1980. The tradition continues today with products influenced by Messner, as well as notable extreme outdoor adventurers from around the world.

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Contact: Kristen Bujold, kristenb@cgprpublicrelations.com, 781-639-4924 Ext. 115