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USAUnited StatesSport:SwimmingPat Gallant-Charette is an American marathon swimmer from Maine whose Channel career grew from a family tribute. A nurse and mother, she began building her swimming endurance after her son encouraged her to enter the Peaks to Portland swim in memory of her brother Robbie. Her own account describes a gradual progression from local training to increasingly ambitious open-water challenges.
The English Channel proved a difficult goal. Strong currents ended her 2008 attempt near France, and weather prevented another start in 2009. On 22 August 2011 she finally completed the England-to-France crossing in 15 hours and 57 minutes. She started from Shakespeare Beach and finished at Cap Gris-Nez, supported from Viking Princess by members of her family. Her account recalls difficult water near the French coast and the importance of her nephew Christopher’s encouragement.
She returned in 2017. The Channel Swimming Association records her completion on 17 June at 10:50pm, after 17 hours and 55 minutes, and recognises her as the oldest woman to cross at that time, aged 66 years and 135 days.
Gallant-Charette also promoted Swim for Your Heart, encouraging swimmers to support heart-health awareness. Her wider marathon-swimming career brought induction into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2019. Both Channel successes came after earlier setbacks had tested her determination to reach France.
The recorded nationality is United States.
Two Channel solos · women’s age record in 2017 at 66
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
Monday, 22 August 2011 (recorded swim date)
England → France
Elapsed time · 15h 57m 0s
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Ratification reported by source · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Saturday, 17 June 2017 (completion)
England → France
Elapsed time · 17h 55m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · 22:50 · Time zone not specified
Ratifying body's record checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Friday, 2 February 1951
Date explicitly supplied by Guinness World Records.
2008
Strong currents stopped the attempt near France; this is not a successful crossing.
2009
Her athlete account records a return trip without a Channel start.
Monday, 22 August 2011
Completed England to France in 15:57.
Saturday, 17 June 2017
CSA records 17:55 and a 22:50 completion, aged 66 years 135 days.
2019
Inducted as an IMSHOF Honor Swimmer.
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First recorded finish
1 more finish needed
0 of 1 recorded
Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
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