Aquila Outdoors haowatersports.com

On June 27, Victoria Burgess entered the history books with her SUP

After 27 hours and 48 minutes, Burgess made history as the first woman to cross the Florida waters using SUP.

From Cuba to Key West, Florida, Ms. Burgess, 33, encountered strong winds, high waves and even a GPS tracker confiscated by the sea.

Despite the setbacks, Burgess kept her spirits up, relying on her training, nutrition and team support to keep her going until the end.

Here's our interview with Burgess.

This is her vision for about 27 hours.

How are you feeling now?

I haven't really calmed down yet.

It all feels surreal now, and I can't believe the challenge is over.

I started to think about everything that had happened, but at least I was so excited that I didn't give up. I finished the whole challenge!

What is it all about?

When we started out from Havana it was calm, but about a mile later there were crosswind and crosswind.

The weather forecast said 5 to 10 knots, but the wind was actually 8 to 10 knots a mile offshore, coming from the east (to my right).

The farther we went, the wind grew stronger.

I would say about 110 miles with 10 to 12 knots of wind all the time, 2 to 4 foot waves.

Was everything planned and anticipated?

My replenishment plan worked perfectly, ensuring that I had a full complement of nutrients.

I eat about 450 calories an hour, mostly crab meat and salt.

The amazing performance of my team made the trip smooth and enabled me to complete the challenge in less than 30 hours.

The paddle I'm using is the Stealth model for a 14-foot by 28-inch ECS Board.

It was the right choice, and because of the crosswind the whole way, the wide board made my knees feel better.

Burgess and her team

Have any of them backfired?

I would have liked to have enjoyed the whole thing more, but in fact the only thing I could do was keep my eyes on the board and my front, so I didn't get much else.

The storm at night was so difficult that it was too dark to see what was ahead.

The crosswind and crosswind waves were too strong to take advantage of the downwind.

Besides, I thought I could see a beautiful sunset, but because the clouds were so thick, I couldn't see anything.

What was the most challenging part?

The most challenging part is the hour after dark.

I was so tired at that time that I kept fighting with myself to give up.

I asked myself why I was doing this.

I calculated how far I had rowed and how far I had left.

But in the end I made it through.

The good thing is that the whole trip was difficult and I didn't have the energy to think about anything. It kept me going.

The night passed so slowly that Sometimes I thought it would never get light again.

Burgess's goal is to inspire women around the world.

What was your biggest accomplishment?

The biggest harvest was when I finished, seeing everyone on the beach blowing conches, waving flags and welcoming me, it was incredibly beautiful!

Do you feel your training is ready for the challenge?

Absolutely, of course!

I know my body, I know what I can do, just like in training.

I may not be training as much as some studies suggest, but I know what works and what doesn't - And I think I'm well prepared.

I have a slight pain in my right knee because all the lateral waves come from the right side.

By the end, my feet were swollen from standing for too long, my hands had blisters, but my back and shoulders were painless.

I've worked really hard to build those supporting muscles, which has been a huge help against constant instability, and I feel very effective.

You plan to use this sea-crossing challenge to raise awareness of women in sports. Have any women approached you?

Over the past few months, I've received many thank-you letters from people inspired by my story.

So, I think whatever message I'm sending, it's useful.

Now, I've also been asked to do interviews, and I've received countless messages from women, and I'm thrilled, and that's my main goal.

I hope people can take something from my story and use it to help them achieve their goals.

Victor's booty, champagne!!

What's next?

I'm not sure what to do next.

I hope I have more time to surf and I hope I can get some big waves.

I also want to learn kite surfing.

But first I have to go on a very important vacation to the Bahamas with some friends next week. We're going fishing and snorkeling!

Burgess also likes surfing

Anything else?

I want to thank my family, friends and sponsors for their support throughout this journey.

I can't even get to the starting line without you!

Burgess was in the famous M2O competition