Ripley’s will sponsor and chronicle 70-year-old Norwegian man’s transatlantic solo row from New York City to England
NEW YORK CITY (May 11, 2016) – Norway’s Stein Hoff will boldly row where few men have gone before – across the Atlantic ocean from New York City to England – and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! will chronicle his epic endeavor, The Unbelievable Voyage.
Hoff will row solo, carrying all his supplies, with no chase boats or any kind of assistance. He will spend approximately 90 days at sea, covering 2,500 to 3,000 nautical miles. Perhaps most unbelievable of all – Hoff is 70 years old.
Media event: Meet Stein Hoff, his family and friends, Ripley’s representatives, see the Fox II
Date: Friday, May 13 at 10 am
Location: La Marina, 348 Dyckman St. in Manhattan
Stein Hoff aboard his Fox II. Photo credit: Stein Hoff
Hoff named his 24-foot rowboat the
Fox II, after Harbo and Samuelsen’s boat, the Fox. While it has technical advantages over its predecessor – GPS, a satellite phone, VHF radio and several safety features – there is no motor and Hoff has to row on his own.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! will be sharing updates from Hoff – including images – on its blog and social media outlets during the three month Unbelievable Voyage.
“Only a handful of people in the world have ever completed a transatlantic row,” said Edward Meyer, Ripley’s VP of Exhibits and Archives. “For Stein Hoff to do it solo at the age of 70 is an amazing feat and truly a ‘believe it or not!’ event.”
Items used by Hoff during his journey will become part of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! collection.
Details for Stein Hoff’s Unbelievable Voyage
Departure: Sunday, May 15 at 8:00 a.m. from North Cove Marina at Brookfield Place. Hoff will be escorted through New York Harbor by the U.S. Coast Guard and an NYPD marine division boat.
Photo ops:
- Hoff will row by Battery Park, where a contingent of Norwegian students will greet him, waving flags and cheering him on
- He will salute the Statue of Liberty on his way out
- He will row to the 69th Street Pier on Bay Ridge Ave. in Brooklyn where he will likely be cheered on by people attending the Norwegian Day Parade happening that same day in Brooklyn
Viewing boat for media: There will be a very limited number of media spots available on the Shearwater Classic Schooner, which will be carrying Hoff’s family and friends and will follow the start of his journey through the harbor. The boat will leave from the North Cove Marina at 8:00 am and return at approximately 11:30 am. MEDIA MUST RSVP IN ADVANCE FOR SPACE
For more on Stein Hoff’s Unbelievable Voyage, visit www.ripleys.com/unbelievable-voyage or www.facebook.com/soloatlanticrow2016.
Media contacts:
Frank Wolff
407-339-0879 office
407-637-6000 cell
Frank@wellonscommunications.com
Contact on site for Friday & Sunday events:
Stacy Shuster
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square
212-398-3133
Stacy@RipleysNewYork.com
