I’m proud to announce I got a new “baby” !

The brand new “FREYA” kayak, designed in cooperation with Point 65 and Magnus de Brito especially for me and my needs on my history making expeditions. Thanks to Point 65 for working with me in future!

I am also thanking very much epic kayaks for our previous cooperation on the Autralian circumnavigation and on the first stage of the South America trip. The 18 x sport expedition kayak carried me safely and comfortably through a bunch of extremely challenging situations. It will always be remembered as “Freya’s Boat” in epic’s collection of surf skis and kayaks. I am very happy to continue to use their great small mid wing paddle.

I am just back from travelling to Shanghai in China to Point 65‘s factory to finish the design and outfit the prototype of the “FREYA” expdition kayak.

Tomas Öhman, co-owner of Point 65, was working together with me on all those mayor and minor details which eventually make “just another boat” a perfect kayak for my needs.

Magnus de Brito, who also designed the innovative sexy lines of the XP18 and the Bourbon Orca and XP18 Spyder surfskis by Point 65, did the basic shaping of my new “FREYA”.

I’ll be travelling once more to the Point 65 factory in China in July to check on the by then eventually finalized boats I’ll be using to continue my South American circumnavigation in September. The graphic design of my boats will also be finalized in July – the pictures above show only the prototype.

I’ll be not diving by now into details, as my time is limited. I have the challenging job now during my summer break of my South American trip to look after my 86-year old mother who is now in hospital and will have to move soon into a nursing home. A move in that age is a challenging procedure, but as she is my mom and as tough as I am, she will get on to her feet soon again and will hopefully have a bunch of more happy years in her new home close to mine in Husum.

Here is Point 65‘s official press release:

Stockholm, Sweden June 11, 2012

Press release for immediate publication

Freya Hoffmeister joins Point 65 Kayaks Sweden

Point 65 Kayaks Sweden is proud to welcome Freya Hoffmeister, the world-renowned adventure kayaker who is currently circumnavigating South America. Freya brings unparalleled experience and expertise to the Point 65 team which will be extremely valuable in developing great kayaks. Her first design project is the POINT 65 FREYA, an 18-foot expedition kayak that Freya will use for her long-distance expeditions.

The adventures

In 2009 when Freya completed her circumnavigation of Australia, she became the fastest and only the second person to have ever done so. She was also the first person to complete the journey unaided, and the first woman to complete this amazing trip.

But by then Freya was not a beginner to expeditions or to records: in January 2008 Freya became the first woman to circumnavigate the South Island of New Zealand, a trip she completed unassisted. The previous year when she circumnavigated Iceland she did this in a shorter time than any man or woman had done previously.

But all these expeditions pale in comparison to her current project.

South America

In August 2011 Freya began a circumnavigation of South America by kayak, a feat never before achieved or even attempted. Her plan is to complete the journey in three stages.

She completed the first stage, 8000 km from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, in May 2012, rounding Cape Horn the difficult way on what must be one of the greatest paddling adventures in kayaking history.

In September 2012, after a summer break, Freya will resume her trip, paddling north past Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia and through the Panama Canal. Then heading south, past Venezuela, she will finish the second 8000 km leg in Guyana.

On the third and final 8000 km leg, starting in September 2013, she plans to paddle past Suriname, Brazil, and Uruguay, returning to Buenos Aires in time to celebrate her 50th birthday on May 10, 2014.

The new POINT 65 FREYA Expedition Kayak

Starting in September 2012 Freya will paddle the custom designed Point 65 FREYA 18-foot expedition kayak, designed in collaboration with Swedish designer Magnus De Brito (Porsche, Agipi Marine, Pirelli Boats, Point 65). The FREYA draws on Freya’s considerable experiences from years of extreme long-distance expedition paddling, and the result is a kayak with an unbelievable combination of speed vis-á-vis stability and comfort. It is designed to rapidly consume miles of paddling with ease while being safe, comfortable and stable in the worst and scariest conditions. The FREYA, packed with several groundbreaking innovations, will be unveiled at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City on August 1st, 2012, available in limited edition and on special preseason order.

“We are very proud to have Freya on board! Her trust in our products and her commitment to developing the POINT 65 FREYA says a lot about Point 65’s manufacturing quality and innovative capabilities. Freya’s experiences from multi- year expeditions circumnavigating continents, is completely unique. Nobody can better assess and advise on what abuse a kayak has to withstand. Freya is an incredible addition to Point 65.”

Nigel Foster, Point 65’s VP of R&D and head of the Point 65 sponsored paddler program

“I’m extremely happy to become a part of the Point 65 family where I can play a role in influencing the products I use. Point 65 has proven unique innovative design skills as well as commitment to quality which will make my expeditions so much easier. With Point 65 and Thule, I have two Swedish leading brands as main sponsors, which is more than a coincidence.”

Freya Hoffmeister

For more information please contact: Richard Ohman, Founder Point 65 Kayaks Sweden. +46 70 7563326 richard.ohman@point65.se