Rockford Woman Joins Pacific Row to Hawaii
Julie Bennett of Rockford and Susan Katt of South Haven set out June 5 as part of a four-person team rowing from California to Hawaii.
Two West Michigan women are about to embark on an unassisted row across the Pacific Ocean. Julie Bennett (Rockford) and Susan Katt (South Haven) will push off from California on June 5 as part of the 'Moar Than Us' campaign. The journey is expected to take multiple weeks and spotlights local grit on a global stage.
On June 5, a four-person boat will pull away from the California coast and point west. On board: 2,400 miles of open Pacific and two West Michigan women determined to pull every oar stroke themselves. Julie Bennett calls Rockford home. Susan Katt hails from South Haven. Together with two teammates, they’ll row unassisted until they hit Hawaii.
The row is the centerpiece of the 'Moar Than Us' campaign, a project built around pushing human limits and sharing the story in real time. The team will live on a 29-foot rowing shell, rotating two hours on, two hours off, 24 hours a day. Relief from the heat, salt, and exhaustion comes in small doses—and from knowing people back home are watching.
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For Grand Rapids, it’s a chance to follow a genuine test of endurance with a local face. Bennett’s training grounds included Rockford-area lakes, but those flat-water mornings are about to feel very far away. The team expects the crossing to take 30 to 60 days, depending on weather and currents. You can track their progress once the oars dip this Thursday.
