Woman with Down Syndrome finishes a swim across Lake Tahoe!

South Lake Tahoe, Ca. On Tuesday Sept. 25th 2007, Karen Gaffney, a 29 year old avid swimmer known worldwide for being the first person with Down syndrome to complete a relay swim across the English Channel, completed her latest swim challenge. To raise funds for the National Down Syndrome Congress, Karen swam a little over 9 miles across the width of Lake Tahoe.

The swim began at 6:07AM from Deadman's Point on Lake Tahoe's east shore. Approximately 6 and a half hours later, Karen finished the longest swim of her life when she pulled up on the western shore at Sugar Pine Point.

"I am doing this swim because I can!" says Gaffney, the Portland Oregon native of her Tahoe Challenge swim. "I am raising funds for the National Down Syndrome Congress so that they can continue their work supporting people with Down syndrome and their families. Together we are trying to show that people with Down syndrome are more like everyone else, rather than different from everyone else."
Since her Channel swim in 2001, Karen has kept up her string of "Firsts." She completed seven swims across San Francisco Bay while preparing for and competing in the "Escape From Alcatraz," a 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz to the St. Francis Yacht Club. In addition, she completed a four mile swim nicknamed "Round the Rock;" A round trip swim from Aquatic Park that goes around Alcatraz Island and back, which took Gaffney two hours & 15 minutes. In August of 2007, Karen swam the length of Donner Lake, a 2.7 mile swim that was sponsored by the Sierra Nevada Masters swimming organization.

Funds raised by Gaffney through this swim will be used by the National Down Syndrome Congress to promote awareness and education to the general public regarding the abilities of people with Down syndrome. For more information on how to contribute, log on to www.ndsccenter.org or www.karengaffneyfoundation.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Karen
• Gaffney
• Lake
• Tahoe

[ValerieValirah]

I don't see how that makes it any less of a feat? She still swam the distance. The boats were most likely for safety- to keep her from getting run over by other boats and just in case something bad were to happen. And a hard rule of open water swimming is that you always swim with a buddy. So what if she had two, lol. Wahoo! Congrats on the feat Karen.

[PianistCor]

This made me cry! God bless her!

[lgvmd]

After that she pooped her pants

[jb55101]

say can i have her on my special olymp[ics swim team hehe? i know get gold medal then

[Happy2beemi]

impressive. very impressive, actually.

[kosmosleha]

do you think it is possible to swim acrass a cold, 12 km lake? I am planning to do so, but I have to really work on my swimming for the next year.

[vaughnellermanow]

"Batman" features to date. Enjoy this movie @ Movie Watcher [.] US

[MOSESCAT69]

what a girl!!!! Tremendous achievement. I have just signed up for a mile swim in september, Karen will be my inspiration x

[wassupno3]

hey guys are you nuts what that woman did was amazing alcatraz was a prison on and island many people tryd what she did and all failed but 3 people made it this is great what she did

[samdamien]

Wooow what a inspiration for people with ds

[Chapas45]

grow up, douche-bag.

[matthandsome1011]

stuck up a** hole