Kayaking Legend Freya Hoffmeister Celebrates Record Setting

Expedition With West Coast Speaking Tour

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When you circumnavigate an entire continent, a party is most certainly in order. The celebration started in San Diego on February 6th with record-setting kayaker Freya Hoffmeister presenting her “Race Around Australia” west coast speaking engagement.

Kokatat and Thule are the presenting sponsors of this seven-city tour that celebrates Hoffmeister’s feat – the first and fastest solo and unsupported circumnavigation of Australia by a woman and only the second successful circumnavigation of Australia, period.

After San Diego the tour will hit Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, then south to Seattle, Portland, Arcata, and finally the San Francisco Golden Gate Kayak Symposium.

Though not an Olympian, Hoffmeister will be right at home among the world’s elite athletes when she takes the tour to Canada.

This three week tour will find Hoffmeister retelling stories and sharing experiences from the nearly 12-month journey where she covered 9,424 miles in 322 days (245 of them spent paddling). Expect stories of crocodile encounters (and nights spent avoiding them) among other harrowing plights.

Hoffmeister’s sea kayaking resume is padded with “firsts”: in 2007 she completed the fastest-ever circumnavigation of Iceland in a sea kayak. She set the fastest solo time for the circumnavigation of the South Island of New Zealand in 70 days, a week faster than the previous record. Kokatat supported Hoffmeister’s Australian circumnavigation by providing essential waterproof products and safety gear.

The tour stops:

For more information about Freya visit: http://www.qajaqunderground.com/