Kathleen Wilson, one of the early pioneers of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming Club and a member of the local symphony (harpist), completed the first known solo marathon swim in Charleston, South Carolina this weekend.

The 16.25-mile swim started at the James B. Edwards Bridge before daybreak and ended six hours and 58 minutes later at the General William B. Westmoreland Bridge. The 47-year-old politician and harpist says she did the swim to create interest in holding an endurance swim in Charleston with a goal to raise money to build much-needed, adequate aquatics facilities in Charleston.

Her list of swims include the 12.5-mile Swim Around Key West (1997), 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (1999), English Channel (2001), 24-mil Tampa Bay Marathon Swim (2003), Catalina Channel (2004), Lake Zurich Marathon Swim (2005), 25K Swim Across the Sound (2006), Santa Barbara Channel Swim (2007), Strait of Gibraltar (2008) and now the Charleston Peninsula for which she is now entered into the marathon swimming record books.

Photo by Brad Nettles.

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