Lone P-Wolf makes solo row across the Atlantic

If you assumed the Prairie Wolf was strictly a land mammal, we’d like to introduce you to Taryn Smith (’22). In January, Smith became the first American woman to complete the World’s Toughest Row in its solo category. 

She launched from the Canary Islands and rowed for more than 46 days, traveling more than 3,000 miles west across the Atlantic to the finish in Antigua. 

How does an Omaha native born nearly 1,000 miles from the sea wind up in the World’s Toughest Row? “Taryn and her adventurous spirit seem to know no fear,” her mother, Shelly Smith, told Nebraska Public Media. “She has always been a kid that thrives on adventure. She just really likes a challenge.” 

She’s someone who also likes a purpose. Smith tackled the adventure as a way to raise funds for Girls on the Run, which supports Nebraska girls in their physical, social and emotional development through exercise, mentorship and community building. 

She spoke with ABC’s “Good Morning, America” near the end of her journey. “I really couldn’t have done it without all of the support from people back home, so thank you so much for joining me out here in the Atlantic.” 

Smith smiled and reassured classmates, friends and loved ones who worried about the toll of her solo effort: “I have never felt less alone in my entire life.”