THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle SiuAnnaleise Carr is covered in a blanket after finishing her record breaking overnight Lake Ontario swim from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto on Sunday.
TORONTO — An Ontario teenager appeared to be in both good health and spirits after completing what may be a record breaking swim across Lake Ontario.
Annaleise Carr was greeted by cheering family members and other wellwishers when she splashed ashore on the Toronto waterfront Sunday night.
Doctor Mark Ghesquiere, Carr’s family physician, accompanied her by boat for the entire 52-kilometre swim, and said she did remarkably well after spending nearly 27 hours in the water.
“She was able to climb energetically out of that water, answer questions, she was very cheerful and she was in good physical shape as far as I could see,” he said.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle SiuCarr is surrounded by supporters as she finishes the swim. The 14-year-old is the youngest swimmer to cross Lake Ontario and has raised well above her fundraising goal to help Camp Trillium, a camp for children with cancer.
Carr, who’s from the tiny community of Walsh in southern Ontario, set off from Niagara on the Lake Saturday evening and had to plow through waves as high as 1.5 metres at times.
She said that at 14, she believes she’s the youngest person ever to accomplish the aquatic feat.
Ghesquiere said his main medical concerns during the endurance swim were fatigue and hypothermia. Carr was challenged by prevailing winds and a strong current, however, the lake was warm so hypothermia didn’t end up being a problem, he said.
“I was very pleased with what I saw of her condition. I have no concerns,” he said. “I just want to be thorough and send her off to the hospital for a check.”
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle SiuCarr is pulled out of the water in Toronto after swimming across Lake Ontario
Ghesquiere noted there are also psychological concerns for anyone who undertakes such a long swim.
“It’s a cold dark place in the middle of the night for hours and you’re swimming in this seeming vacuum and unable to really tell if you’re progressing as the winds work against you,” he said.
But the doctor said he wasn’t overly concerned about Carr’s mental state, describing her as “a strong girl” who had a goal in mind.
Carr set out hoping to raise 100,000 dollars for Camp Trillium, a childhood cancer support centre.
“She seemed happy, grateful to be out of the water, grateful for everybody who supported her and for all the attention that was now being put toward Camp Trillium,” said Ghesquiere.
“She’s a remarkable little girl who undertook a great journey and she was able to accomplish it successfully.”
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle SiuAnnaleise Carr completes the final stretch of her record-breaking overnight Lake Ontario swim.
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