Deborah Gardner (66, USA, MSF bio here) set a Guinness World Record as the oldest woman to cross the Catalina Channel in October 2025 at the age of 66.
On September 1st, she set her second Guinness World Record when she walked backwards up to the California shore after her backstroke crossing of the Santa Barbara Channel. Starting near Anacapa Island, Gardner swam 19.6 km in what she described as her toughest crossing. Throughout the night during one of the World’s Top 100 Island Swims, she dealt with 1+ meter ocean swells, continuous strong undercurrents, bouts of vomiting, and a seal following her that attracted a pod of sharks in the 20°C water.
She was thinking “maybe this is not a good idea“, but she finally landed at Silver Strand Beach, one local colony of seals.
With her successful 7 hour 38 minute crossing, she established a record as the first person to do backstroke across the channel.
But her crossing had deeper meaning. Gardner is carrying on a meaningful charity mission in honor of her 91-year-old father, Major Joedy Gardner (USMC Ret.). She supports Southern Cross Service Dogs, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing service dogs to military veterans and helping reduce veteran suicide. To learn more, donate or support the mission, visit here. She raised US$20,000+ during her Catalina Channel swim.
“This swim is beyond my dream or for a record,” she says. “It’s honoring my dad, veterans, and anyone who needs proof that dreams don’t age.”
* The Guinness World Record has since been reset by Maura Twomey (70, Ireland, MSF bio here) in August 2026.
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