past swimmers

Catherine Breed

In September 2017, Catherine Breed set the Lake Tahoe length record, swimming 21.3 miles from Camp Richardson to Incline Village in an incredible 8 hours, 56 minutes, and 17 seconds—with Reptile Open Water Swimming piloting her journey.

Catherine’s open water career began at San Francisco’s Dolphin Club, where her speed and cold-water grit caught the attention of seasoned swimmers. They encouraged her to take on marathon swimming. She set her sights on Tahoe, and knew she needed the right pilot.

“Reptile is the original Tahoe guy,” she says. “At the time, he was really the only one doing this swim, and he made it feel easy to organize.”

Catherine emphasizes a key part of marathon swimming that often gets overlooked: the critical role of the pilot.

“The pilot isn’t just a paid chaperone. A pilot should be someone that is part of your team. You have to trust them—your life and safety are literally in their hands. It’s okay to choose someone you truly connect with because that relationship matters.”

With Reptile and her crew by her side, Catherine not only completed the swim but broke the record—finishing strong with a faster pace as the miles ticked by. She was the first person to swim the Length of Tahoe under 9 hours.

“I remember how excited we all were when we broke the record. I know he and the crew made sure I stayed on pace and got faster throughout the swim.”

Now, Catherine is training for her next big goal—a multi-month swim down the entire California coastline—and says without hesitation:

“I’d happily swim with Reptile again.”

We’re honored to have been part of Catherine’s incredible journey and proud to support swimmers chasing big dreams, one stroke at a time.