Nebraska woman makes history: Crosses the Atlantic alone in 3,000-mile competition

Taryn Smith’s ocean dreams began when she lived in the landlocked state of Nebraska, yearning for open water adventures as a young adult in Omaha.

Now 25 years old, Taryn read an article about a women’s rowing team that set a world record in the Great Pacific Race in 2022, rowing from Monterey, California to Hawaii in just 34 days, and something inside her was profoundly awakened.

“I just remember thinking that it seemed like the most incredible thing in the entire world,” Taryn told PEOPLE, recalling her thoughts on the rowing team’s record. “I wanted to do something big in my 20s. I wanted to spend the rest of my life knowing that I was capable of something like that.”

Taryn began researching opportunities that would present an equally daunting challenge and soon discovered the World’s Toughest Rowing Race, a 3,000-mile competition that runs from the Canary Islands on the western edge of Africa to Antigua in the Caribbean Sea.

Taryn was going to do it alone.

Her grandparents had sailing experience, but she had a lot to learn. He left his job in human resources and trained for three years, spending time in the United Kingdom and living exclusively on his rowboat for several weeks at a time.

He needed to become one with the water, for soon it would be his only company.

“Taryn seems to know no fear,” Shelly Smith, Taryn’s mother, told Nebraska Public Media. “She’s always been a kid who thrives on adventure. She really likes that challenge.”

So, on December 14, Taryn faced off against 42 other teams from 20 different countries at the starting line of a race across the Atlantic. The trip was expected to last around two months, with Taryn paddling alone for 10 to 12 hours each day.

Obstacles arose every day, but the 27th took her to the limit. He developed hives from sun exposure and had not slept well for two nights in a row. He spent the morning crying, fighting fatigue and exhaustion, as his boat rose and fell on waves that grew larger and larger due to an impending storm.

“Absolutely huge waves,” she said in an Instagram video on the 27th. “A wave came crashing onto the deck and literally knocked me out of my shoes. It was scary. Really, really scary. I think this is the first day I’ve felt truly terrified since I’ve been here.”

And to make matters worse, a menacing marlin stalked their boat and paddles for miles. However, he persisted. By the end of the day, he had overcome every challenge the Atlantic could muster, while still making considerable progress.

“It’s been a really hard day, but I’m really proud of the effort I put in today because it was a fast day and I covered a lot of ground and I kept paddling and now it’s more comfortable paddling than trying to sleep,” she said on Instagram at the end of the day.

“I’m listening to Harry Potter (on my headphones). So, overall, life is good…”

She partnered with Girls on the Run during her trip, raising money for the nonprofit that empowers girls in grades 3-8 through running, physical activity, and confidence-building programs.

With each paddle, Taryn was showing a powerful example of what those girls can do with a goal in front of them and the determination to pursue it.

She arrived in Antigua on January 29, becoming the first woman to finish the World’s Toughest Rowing Race alone. He even exceeded his own expectations in the process, finishing the race in 46 days, three hours and 37 minutes, a few days ahead of his own optimistic predictions.

Taryn entered the harbor with a flare in her hand as an American flag flew behind her on the boat.

The girl from the landlocked plains of the Midwest had just completed a daring 3,000-mile journey across the Atlantic, and her ocean dreams that began with a magazine article had become a reality—and a powerful reminder of the untapped potential within us all.

“Everything is more within reach than we think,” Taryn told PEOPLE. “I hope people understand that you should take on your biggest challenges, even if it means being alone. Even if it’s scary. You can do it, and you probably won’t be alone for long.”