About

Credit: Jordan Hanssen/OAR Northwest

In 2005 four University of Puget Sound collegiate crew teammates dreamed of rowing an ocean.  The following year, they triumphed in The North Atlantic Rowing Race over a British Commando team and secured Guinness World Records to boot.  The American four person team in a 29 foot boat rowed 3,200 nautical miles, crossing the Atlantic in 72 days from the USA to the UK without assistance.  While the record is a testament to the team’s perseverance, the goal reaching has only inspired new horizons.

Today, OAR Northwest is an ocean adventure rowing and education organization committed to a student’s STEM education and to providing boys and girls an opportunity to explore life at the intersection of ocean air and water.

OAR Northwest connects with partners and sponsors to reach expedition fundraising goals and propelling businesses to their own extraordinary achievement.

The crew for its next Atlantic crossing in 2012-13: Guinness World Record holders and North Atlantic Ocean Rowing Race veterans Jordan Hanssen and Greg Spooner, National Level Light Weight Rower Rick Tarbill and Beijing Olympic Gold Medalist Adam Kreek.

OAR Northwest follows the ocean rowing community’s tradition of raising awareness for a chosen charity, based often upon the rowers’ personal connection.  The 2006 expedition raised nearly $50,000.00 for the American Lung Association of Washington.  The 2012-13 “Africa to the Americas Expedition,” a Mid-Atlantic row from Liberia to Venezuela,  supports Right to Play International: www.RightToPlay.com

We invite you to follow our expeditions and social media outlets and to support our programs via the donation A,B,C’s

• Advice: Join an advisory committee; advance our goals by sharing our story.
• Boat: Learn about ocean rowing and OAR Northwest’s ocean rowboat.
• Cash: Give big and often to help underwrite expeditions, base camp activities, and education programs.

Ocean Adventure Racing Northwest is a 501(c)3 organization: Seattle, Washington, USA.