HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hundreds gathered along Magic Island and Ala Wai Boat Harbor Friday to watch solo rower Kelsey Pfendler complete her record-breaking journey from California to Hawaii.<\/p>\n
She began the more than 2,400-mile journey from Monterey, California, to Honolulu on May 21.<\/p>\n
Pfendler rowed into the harbor shortly after 9 p.m. aboard her 21-foot ocean rowing boat, Lily. She was greeted by a large, cheering crowd at the Hawaii Yacht Club.<\/p>\n
Pfendler was on a mission to become the first, youngest and fastest woman to row solo from California to Hawaii.<\/p>\n
She did it in 43 days, shattering the previous women\u2019s record, 86 days, 10 hours and five minutes, held by Lia Ditton \u2014 but also broke through the men\u2019s record of 52 days.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccomplishing an amazing feat, you know? People should really give a lot of respect to a woman that can do that,\u201d said Robert Hoffman, who was among the hundreds who started gathering at Magic Island for Pfendler\u2019s arrival.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know she\u2019s done it with other people but she\u2019s doing it by herself now, and she\u2019s be going out there, and that\u2019s something that most people wouldn\u2019t think of — that\u2019s being alone out in the middle of the ocean coming over here,\u201d said Marco Gomez of San Antonio, Texas. <\/p>\n
Gomez had been tracking Pfendler\u2019s journey and couldn\u2019t contain his excitement that a previously planned family vacation to Hawaii was happening at the same time as her arrival.<\/p>\n
The anticipation and the crowd both grew as she was spotted off Diamond Head, rowing the final few miles to shore. The hundreds that were gathered burst into cheers as she slowly rowed past toward them toward the Hawaii Yacht Club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is amazing girl power. So impressed with what Kelsey\u2019s been able to do I think with everything that\u2019s going on. Just so impressed,\u201d said Honolulu resident Amanda Wentz.<\/p>\n