The Oceánida team, the first Mexican and Latin American group of women to row across the Atlantic Ocean, completed their journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua and Barbuda. The feat, started on December 12, 2025, and finished on January 29, 2026, stands out for its message of determination and overcoming obstacles. The rowers emphasized that the challenge aimed to motivate others to face their own hurdles.
The Oceánida team undertook an extraordinary journey aboard a chalupa, a rowing boat without sails or motor, propelled solely by their physical effort. The expedition began on December 12, 2025, in San Sebastián de la Gomera, Canary Islands, and ended on January 29, 2026, in English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda. The women rowed in two-hour shifts, always in pairs, facing intense physical and mental demands.
In an event organized by Santamarina y Steta, members including Ana Lucía Valencia, Andrea Gutiérrez, Eugenia Méndez, and Lucila Moriel shared their experiences. "For us, it has been very special to share this story. It's not just a sports adventure, but a message we want to reach more people," said Lucila Moriel.
Ana Lucía Valencia explained the motivations: "Each one had different reasons to embark on this adventure, from the physical challenge to the desire to live something extraordinary. But what united us was the conviction that this journey could represent something bigger: to remind everyone that people have goals that seem as vast as an ocean, and with preparation, support, and determination, it is possible to cross them."
The rowers noted that they did not know how to row at the project's start but learned through training and mutual support. The journey serves as a metaphor for life, requiring resilience, discipline, and teamwork. "If our experience can help someone take the first step toward their own goal, then all the effort will have been worth it," they expressed.
Oceánida aims to inspire women and people in general to overcome everyday challenges, such as professional goals or distant dreams, amplifying the impact of their achievement through their narrative.
