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CANCanadaSport:SwimmingVicki Keith is a Canadian marathon swimmer and coach known for taking butterfly into long-distance open water. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on 26 February 1961, she began marathon-swimming training in 1984. She completed the first double crossing of Lake Ontario in 1987 and swam all five Great Lakes during 1988.
Her 1989 English Channel crossing formed part of a series of butterfly challenges. She left Shakespeare Beach on 10 July and reached France early the next morning, after 23 hours 33 minutes. Her published transcription of the observer log preserves the changing weather, feeding stops and sustained attention to her stroke.
After retiring from competitive marathon swimming, Keith developed opportunities for young athletes with physical disabilities. She founded the YMCA Penguins aquatics programme in Kingston in 2001 and continued coaching inclusive swimming. Her honours include the Order of Canada and induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Butterfly Channel crossing · 23 hours 33 minutes
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
Monday, 10 July 1989 – Tuesday, 11 July 1989
England → France
Elapsed time · 23h 33m
Start clock · 03:15 · Time zone not specified
Finish clock · 02:48 · Time zone not specified
Ratifying body's record checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
Saturday, 23 September 1989 (event date)
Completed Catalina Island → mainland using butterfly.
Elapsed time · 14h 53m 26s
Ratifying body's record checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
Wednesday, 5 August 1987 – Friday, 7 August 1987
Lake Ontario, Canada
Completed Leslie Street Spit → Port Dalhousie → Queen’s Quay Terminal; first two-way crossing.
Elapsed time · 56h 10m
Ratifying body's record checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
1987
Completed the first double crossing of Lake Ontario.
1988
Swam across all five Great Lakes.
10–11 July 1989
Completed England to France in 23 hours 33 minutes.
2001
Established an aquatics programme in Kingston for young swimmers with physical disabilities.
2019
Inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
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Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
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