NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN – (July 24, 1998) – In many ways, Tori Murden’s rowboat odyssey in the Atlantic Ocean is just beginning. The first 40 days at sea have gone by without major incident, as the two-knot Gulf Stream has helped propel her 23-foot rowboat, the sector no limits™ American Pearl some 1,374 nautical miles on a northeast course toward northern Europe.

Since departing North Carolina in June, Murden has averaged nearly 35 nautical miles of progress each day, an amazing accomplishment according to technical experts monitoring the row.

"Murden has enjoyed extremely favorable ocean conditions, and she has used the seas to her great advantage," said Gerard d’Aboville, the only person to have rowed solo across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. "Tori will need this mental boost when the Gulf Stream ends, and conditions begin to weigh on her progress."

Indeed, since June 14 – when she departed the U.S. – Murden has battled only a few days of extreme headwinds that pushed her backward. She gained just seven miles of progress on June 23 & 24. And on July 15, headwinds pushed Murden 13 miles back toward America.

The day before, a British cargo vessel passed by Tori’s position. "I am doing fine and well," Murden said via VHF radio to the ship’s captain. According the captain, Tori was in good spirits and is fully expecting to reach Europe in September as scheduled.

After more than five weeks, Murden is one-third of the way toward her goal –the first American and first woman to row across an ocean solo and unsupported.

Murden’s 3,300-nautical mile solo row is sponsored by Sector Sport Watches, a company that supports extreme athletes and adventurers worldwide.

Murden, 35, is a member of the "no limits"™ Sector Team, a group of individuals who test the outer limits of human endurance.

Since departing the Oregon Inlet, June 14, Murden has had just two other encounters with the outside world. The captain of a 90-foot fishing boat talked with her on June 25, as Tori prepared dinner.

Two weeks later, Tori’s rowboat was spotted just one mile from a U.S. container ship. Although in good spirits, Murden reported she had capsized twice and the sector no limits™ American Pearl rowboat self-righted and self-bailed as designed.

Murden is pulling about 1,500 pounds of boat, food and technical gear as she rows 10 hours each day west to east across the North Atlantic. Only five rowers – all men – have completed the west to east crossing.

Murden’s daily positions are received via an Argos satellite transmitter affixed to her rowboat. Her progress can be tracked on the Internet at www.oceanrowing.com.

24 July 1998

Contact: Julie Wellik, Susan Barnes or Shannon Matus

Communications West

1426 Eighteenth Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94107

Telephone: 415-863-7220 Fax: 415-621-2907

E-mail: jwellik@comwest.com

sbarnes@comwest.com

smatus@comwest.com