Fiann Paul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fiann Paul
CGeog, Hon.MM
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Paweł Pietrzak
15 August 1980 Warsaw, Poland
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| Citizenship | Polish, Icelandic |
| Education | C. G. Jung Institute, Zürich (Jungian Analyst) |
| Awards | Ocean Explorers Grand Slam (2019) |
Fiann Paul, born Paweł Pietrzak on August 15, 1980, is a famous Polish-Icelandic explorer. He is best known for his amazing journeys rowing across oceans. He holds many world records for being super fast and for breaking more records than anyone else in ocean rowing.
In 2019, he led the first-ever human-powered trip across the tough Drake Passage. He also led the first human-powered journey on the Southern Ocean. By 2020, Fiann Paul became the first and only person to complete the "Ocean Explorers Grand Slam." This means he rowed across all five of the world's oceans using only his own power!
Contents
- Early Life and Moving to Iceland
- Incredible Ocean Rowing Achievements
- Awards and Recognition
- World Records Held by Fiann Paul
- See also
Early Life and Moving to Iceland
Fiann Paul was born Paweł Pietrzak in Warsaw, Poland, on August 15, 1980. In the mid-2000s, he moved from Poland to Iceland. He became an Icelandic citizen and changed his name to Fiann Paul. Today, he lives in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Incredible Ocean Rowing Achievements
Fiann Paul has rowed across all five of the world's oceans. He did this in a rowboat powered only by humans, without any outside help. He set amazing speed records for the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.
He also completed the only human-powered crossing of the Southern Ocean. Because no one else had ever done this, there wasn't a speed record to break. Fiann Paul has the highest success rate in ocean rowing history. This means he succeeded in most of his attempts to set speed records.
He was always in the "stroke position" on his boat. This is the person who sets the pace for the whole crew. People have compared his total effort in ocean rowing to running about 300 marathons in a row!
Rowing Across the Atlantic: 2011
In 2011, Fiann Paul was the stroke for a boat called Sara G. This boat became known as "the Fastest Boat in ocean rowing history." It set a new speed record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The team also won the Blue Riband Trophy of Ocean Rowing.
Two Oceans Conquered: 2014
By 2014, Fiann Paul became the first person to hold speed records for rowing across two oceans at the same time. These were the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. During one of these trips, his boat even collided with a blue whale!
The steering cable on his boat also broke, forcing the crew to steer by hand. After some crew members got hurt in a hurricane, only three rowers were left to finish the journey.
Three Oceans, Three Records: 2016
In 2016, Fiann Paul made history again. He became the only rower ever to hold all three overall speed records at once. These were for the Atlantic, Indian, and Mid-Pacific Oceans. Guinness World Records officially recognized this incredible achievement.
Four Oceans and More Records: 2017
In 2017, Fiann Paul rowed across the Arctic Ocean. This made him the first person to row across four oceans! He also set a new speed record for the Arctic Ocean. His boat, Polar Row I, broke the old Arctic Ocean record by a huge amount.
Guinness World Records confirmed that he was the "First to row 4 Oceans" and the "First to hold current speed records on all 4 oceans."
The "Impossible Row" and Grand Slam: 2019
The idea for the "Impossible Row" across the Antarctic started in 2017. Fiann Paul wanted to row an even harder route. He gathered a team for this challenging journey.
The row took 12 days, 1 hour, and 45 minutes. The team faced freezing temperatures, snow, hail, and giant icebergs. They finished on December 25, 2019. This amazing trip achieved three historic firsts:
- Being the first to row across the Drake Passage.
- Being the first to row to the Antarctic continent.
- Being the first to row in the Southern Ocean.
This journey was even featured in a 2020 Discovery Channel documentary called The Impossible Row.
Awards and Recognition
Fiann Paul has received many honors for his incredible explorations. In 2019, he became a coordinator for the Ocean Rowing Society International. This group helps manage international ocean rowing.
In 2020, he was given an Honorary Master Mariner title. This is a very high qualification for sailors. It was awarded by the Association of Master Mariners at the Gdynia Maritime University in Poland.
Other Awards and Honors
- Blue Riband Trophy of Ocean Rowing, 2011
- Winner of the Great Pacific Race in the classic class, 2016
- Winner of the Great Pacific Race in all classes, 2016
- Diploma from Military Personnel of Jan Mayen for his ocean rowing achievements
World Records Held by Fiann Paul
Fiann Paul holds many world records, especially from Guinness World Records.
Guinness World's Firsts: Pioneering and Exploration
- First to row 4 oceans, 2017
- First to row the Arctic Ocean open waters south to north
- First recorded complete human-powered crossing of the Barents Sea, 2017
- First to row the Arctic Ocean open waters north to south, 2017
- First recorded complete human-powered crossing of the Greenland Sea, 2017
- First to row the Arctic Ocean in both directions, 2017
- First to row across the Drake Passage, 2019
- First to row on the Southern Ocean, 2019
- First to row to the Antarctic continent, 2019
- First to row in both Polar Regions, 2019
- First to row on 5 oceans (first to complete Ocean Explorers Grand Slam), 2019
Guinness World's Firsts: Performance
- First person to hold simultaneous overall speed Guinness World Records for ocean rowing all three oceans (hat-trick): 2016
- First person to twice hold three simultaneous overall ocean rowing speed records on different oceans (hat-trick): 2017
- First to hold current speed records on 4 oceans, 2017
Guinness "Mosts": Accumulative Records
- Most ocean rowing speed records held simultaneously on different oceans (3), 2016
- Most ocean rowing speed records held simultaneously on different oceans, (4), 2017
- Most ocean rowing overall speed records within two consecutive years (2), 2017
- Most Polar Open Water rows completed by a rower (3), 2019
- Most latitude records held by a rower (6), 2019
Overall Speed Guinness World Records
- Fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, 2011
- Fastest crossing of the Indian Ocean, 2014
- Fastest crossing of the Mid-Pacific Ocean, 2016
- Fastest crossing of the Arctic Ocean, 2017
Other Speed Guinness World Records
- Highest consecutive number of days rowed a distance over 100 miles a day (12 days), 2011
- Fastest row across the Indian Ocean by a team, 2014
Geographical Guinness World Records
Latitude Records
- Northernmost latitude (78°15'20 N) reached by a rowing vessel, 2017
- Northernmost departure point (78°13' N), 2017
- Northernmost latitude reached by a rowing vessel (Arctic ice pack edge - 79°55'50 N), 2017
- The southernmost start of a rowing expedition, 55° 58′ S
- The southernmost latitude reached by a rowing vessel, 64°14′S
Longest Distance Records
- The longest distance rowed on the Arctic Ocean Open Waters within one expedition, 2017
- Longest distance rowed by a crew on the Indian Ocean, 2014
- Longest aggregated distance rowed in the Polar Open Water.
Other Ocean Rowing World Records
- Most record-breaking ocean rower
- Most record-breaking ocean crossing, 2017
- Fastest ocean rowing boat in history as compared to the average speed of any row on any ocean, 2011
Other World Records
- Most record-breaking expedition in history, 2017
See also
In Spanish: Fiann Paul para niños
