Solo Swims of Ontario Inc.

Hall of Fame

VICKI KEITH, CM, O.Ont.
A Canadian Marathon Swimming Legend

One of Canada's best known marathon swimmers and dedicated to the support and skills development of children and the disabled, Vicki is seen here in 1994 at the dedication ceremony for the plaque at Niagara-on-the-lake. Vicki has been the recipient of over 41 awards and recognitions, with numerous swimming achievements to her name: Order of Canada, 1992 Order of Ontario, 1990 Swim Ontario Hall of Fame: Inducted as Athlete in 1993 with a complete listing of achievements. Cliff Lumsdon award of SSO, 2000. Four plaques erected in her name. Catalina Channel #63, 1989 English Channel, 1989 Straits of Juan de Fuca, 1989 Lake Superior, 1988 Lake Michigan, 1988 Lake Huron, 1988 Lake Erie, 1988 Lake Ontario, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989

On the left, Vicki is captured by Steven Siewert (copyright) of the Sydney 'Sun Herald' during her 13.5 hour butterfly circumnavigation on 13 May 1989 of what she called Sydney's playground - 14 miles of Sydney Harbour and Darling Harbour.

After swimming in a shark cage for about the first two hours of her Sydney Harbour swim, Vicki could no longer stand the restriction "Because butterfly is such a wide stroke my fingers were being cut on the mesh. My feet, too. It was like a cheese grater."

The endurance aspect of marathon swimming covers a variety of evils including cold conditions, rough water, jelly fish, etc. - but for the unlucky, it may also include the occasional encounter with pollution. Vicki has encountered more than her fair share of oil slicks during her swims on Lake Ontario and during the Darling Harbour portion of her Australian swim. As she stepped ashore at Watsons Bay, at the end of her Sydney Harbour swim, an Australian reporter (Patrick Connelly of Wide Water swim magazine) described her as "resembling the business end of a dipstick"!

Vicki completed five successful crossings of Lake Ontario, including the only successful two-way swim to date, and the only crossing on butterfly. In 1988, Vicki completed a major swim on each of Canada's five Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario) - all in the same year. Ten years after her 1988 feat, the city of Toronto honoured her by naming the point of Leslie Street Spit after her. The wording of the plaque that is located at the approach to Vicki Keith Point is reproduced below (with one spelling correction). The plaque is located at 43° 36' 56" N, 79° 20' 34" W.

Welcome to VICKI KEITH POINT This point of land was the most famous arrival and departure point for Vicki Keith's Lake Ontario Swims. This plaque has been erected on the 10th anniversary of Vicki Keith's historic swims across all five Great Lakes during the summer of 1988. Throughout her swimming career, Vicki Keith set 17 world records. She made the 52 kilometre crossing of Lake Ontario a record 5 times, including the first double crossing and the first crossing using the highly exhausting butterfly stroke exclusively. Determined to raise awareness as well as funds for disabled children, Vicki's history-making marathons generated more than $800,000 for Variety Club projects worldwide. Close to $600,000 of this was raised specifically for the Variety Village Sunshine Pool. In recognition of a great Canadian athlete and humanitarian, Mayor Mel Lastman, Council and the residents of Toronto hereby dedicate this plaque on August 29, 1988