First person to row the Tasman Sea west to east solo

Oliver "Olly" Hicks (UK, b. 3 December 1981) is the first person to cross the Tasman Sea from west to east solo. He left the southern headland (Fisher's Point) of Recherche Bay, Tasmania, on 23 January 2009 and completed the 900-nautical-mile (1,035-mile; 1,667-km) "as the crow flies" distance to Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand, after 95 days, on 28 April 2009. At the outset, Olly's attempt was to row from Tasmania back to Tasmania around Antarctica, but due to bad weather and equipment failure, he ended his row early and was picked up approximately 20 miles south of Stewart Island/Rakiura. This was within the vicinity of land and, according to the rules of the Ocean Rowing Society, his crossing is considered to be a completed row.