Freya Hoffmeister
{{short description|German business owner and athlete (born 1964)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{expand German|topic=bio|date=May 2022|Freya Hoffmeister}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor = LightSeaGreen
| name = Freya Hoffmeister
| image = Freya Hoffmeister 2010.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Freya Hoffmeister, 2010
| birth_name =
| fullname =
| nickname = The Woman In Black
| nationality = German
| residence = Husum, Germany
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1964|05|10}}
| birth_place = Heikendorf, Germany
| height = {{height|precision=2|ft=5|in=10}}
| weight =
| website = {{URL|http://freyahoffmeister.com}}
| country = Germany
| sport = Sea kayak
}}
Freya Hoffmeister (born 10 May 1964) is a German business owner and athlete who holds several sea kayaking endurance records. In 2009 she completed a circumnavigation of Australia solo and unassisted,{{cite web|url=http://qajaqunderground.com/2009/12/14/circumnavigation-finish-at-queenscliff|title=Finish at Queenscliff|work=qajakunderground.com 15 Dec 2009|access-date=15 December 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720010237/http://qajaqunderground.com/2009/12/14/circumnavigation-finish-at-queenscliff/|archive-date=20 July 2012|url-status=dead}} becoming the first woman and only the second person to do so. Freya holds the fastest record for completing this trip {{cite web|last=Pearson|first=Stephanie|title=Fearless, or Foolish? Kayaker Freya Hoffmeister Attempts to Circumnavigate South America Alone…Again (Interview)|url=http://dsc.discovery.com/adventure/fearless-or-foolish-kayaker-freya-hoffmeister-attempts-to-circumnavigate-south-america-alone-again-interview.html|publisher=Discovery.com|access-date=29 October 2012|date=26 Jan 2012|quote=In 2009 German kayaker Freya Hoffmeister completed a 332-day, 8,565-mile solo, unsupported paddle around Australia. Not only was she the first woman to survive the shark-infested waters, Hoffmeister was also the fastest person — beating Paul Caffyn, the only other human to accomplish the feat — by 28 days.}} On 3 May 2015, she became the first person to solo circumnavigate the continent of South America.{{Cite web|title = Freya Hoffmeister: About|url = http://freyahoffmeister.com/about/|website = freyahoffmeister.com|access-date = 13 January 2016}}
Personal
Hoffmeister has been athletic from a young age, able to walk on her hands around her family home at the age of six. She competed as a gymnast,{{cite web|title=332-day kayak around Australia|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/3162292|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|access-date=30 December 2011|quote=The former gymnast, body builder and skydiver has been kayaking since 1997}} but grew too tall for the sport at age sixteen. She shifted to skeet shooting, and at twenty-three took up skydiving, completing 1,500 jumps, including the first-ever tandem jump onto the North Pole. She is also former Miss Germany beauty contestant, coming in sixth in the competition.{{cite book|last=Glickman|first=Joe|title=Fearless : one woman, one kayak, one continent|year=2012|publisher=FalconGuides|location=Guilford, Conn.|isbn=978-0-7627-7287-2|pages=1}}
Hoffmeister owns a chain of seven franchise ice cream cafes, a salad bistro and a Christmas shop.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://freyahoffmeister.com/ Hoffmeister's personal home page]
- [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Freya-Hoffmeister/83193887837 Hoffmeister's Facebook page]
{{Canoeing and kayaking}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffmeister, Freya}}