Murden, Tori (1963–)

views updated

Murden, Tori (1963–)

American rower. Name variations: Tori Murden McClure. Born 1963 in Louisville, Kentucky; dau. of Albert Murden (educator) and Martha Murden; undergraduate degree from Smith College, 1985; graduate degree from Harvard Divinity School, 1989; law degree from University of Louisville; m. Mac McClure.

Became the 1st woman and the 1st American to row solo across the Atlantic (Dec 3, 1999), having made the 3,000-mile journey from the Canary Islands to Fort-du-Bas, Guadelupe, in 81 days, 7 hours, and 31 minutes, just 8 days longer than the record set in 1970 by Britain's Sidney Genders; was also the 1st woman to reach the summit of Lewis Nunatuk in Antarctica and was one of a 9-person team to ski 750 miles to the geographic South Pole, the 1st American to do so.

See also Women in World History.

More From encyclopedia.com