Jaimie Monahan continues to push herself into the extreme. In 2020, she modified her usual globetrotting schedule and swam 18 circumnavigation swims of Manhattan Island, including the first Quadruple Manhattan Swim, a 184 km solo swim in 45 hours 24 minutes.
Open Water Swimming Highlights
She represented the USA at the IISA 5th World Championship in Samoëns, France between 11-15 January 2023.
She is the first person in history to complete the Ice Sevens.
She is a seven time U.S. National Champion in Winter Swimming.
She is certified as an IISA Official Observer L1 as of 1 March 2022.
She is a two time age group World Champion in Ice Swimming under the International Ice Swimming Association
She was the first female Ice Zero Swimmer under the International Ice Swimming Association.
She has completed non-stop marathon swims up to 57-miles (91.6 km) and 33 hours in duration.
She became the 64th person to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming when she completed the English Channel, Catalina Channel and Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.
She is a three-time member of the 24-hour Club.
She serves as President of the Lake Geneva Swim Association.
She is a race director of one of the Vampire Swims.
She is an Ice Ironwoman with her Ice Miles and completion of the 2008 Ironman triathlon in Louisville.
On 13 August 2009, she completed a 21-mile (32 km) English Channel solo crossing in 15 hours 55 minutes at the age of 30.
On 18 July 2009, she was the first female finisher for the Alcatraz 3.3-miles (5 km) Swim Around the Rock in 2 hour, 41 minutes
On 6 June 2009, she completed the 12-mile (20 km) Swim Around Key West solo circumnavigation swim in 6 hours 9 minutes, 36 seconds at the age of 29.
On 5 June 2010, she was the first female finisher for the 3.25-mile (5 km) Alcatraz Swim Around the Rock solo swim in 2 hours 1 minute 3 seconds
On 12 June 2010, she completed the 28.5-mile (46 km) Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 9 hours 9 minutes, 33 seconds at the age of 30.
On 3 May 2010, she was the first female finisher in the, 3-mile (5 km) Hellespont/Dardanelles Swim from Asia to Europe in 1 hour, 53 minutes (Lord Byron’s Bicentennial Swim Crossing of the Hellespont)
On 13 August 2011, she completed a 17-mile (27 km) Rose Pitonof solo Centennial Swim in 6 hours 3 minutes 48 seconds at the age of 32.
On 10 September 2012, she completed a 20-mile (32 km) Catalina Channel solo crossing in 13 hours 28 minutes 21 seconds
On 18 August 2012, she completed a 17-mile (27 km) Rose Pitonof solo crossing in 5 hours 27 minutes 42 seconds
On 4 July 2012, she completed a 9-mile (14 km) Strait of Gibraltar solo crossing from Europe to Africa in 5 hours 27 minutes 42 seconds at the age of 33.
On 25 June 2012, she completed the 18.3-mile (29 km) 8 Bridges Stage 1 marathon swim in 7 hours 21 minutes
On 10 August 2013, she was the overall winner, 17-mile (27 km) Rose Pitonof swim from Manhattan to Coney Island in NYC in 5 hours 31 minutes 18 seconds
On 26-27 August 2015, she completed a 42-mile (69 km) solo marathon swim across Lake Geneva, Switzerland in 32 hours 52 minutes at the age of 36 to join the 24-Hour Club.
On 15 August 2015, she completed a 17-mile (27 km) Rose Pitonof solo marathon swim in 5 hours, 42 minutes at the age of 36.
On 20 June 2015, she completed a 36-mile (57.9 km) END-WET marathon swim down the Red River of the North in North Dakota in 11 hours 56 minutes at the age of 36.
On 3 July 2015, she completed the 18.6-mile (57.9 km) Stage 7: Liberty of 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim down the Hudson River in New York City in 6 hours 17 minutes.
On 7-8 September 2016, she completed a 31-mile (50 km) solo swim across Lake Como, Italy in 20 hours 29 minutes
On 31 August to 1 September 2016, she completed a 42.8-mile (69 km) solo marathon swim across Lake Geneva, Switzerland in 28 hours 36 minutes from Geneva to Château de Chillon at the age of 37 for the 24-Hour Club.
On 13 August 2016, she completed a 17-mile (27 km) Rose Pitonof solo crossing in 5 hours 1 minute at the age of 36.
On 6-7 August 2016, she completed the 32-mile (52 km) Lake George Marathon Swim in 21 hours 12 minutes at the age of 36.
On 23 July 2016, she completed a 17-mile (27 km) solo marathon swim around Lago d’Orta, Italy in 8 hours 38 minutes at the age of 36.
On 11 July 2016, she completed 22.5-mile (37 km) solo circumnavigation swim of Absecon Island, New Jersey Atlantic City Around the Island Swim in 13 hours 59 minutes at the age of 36.
On 7 May 2016, she completed 4.6-mile (7.5 km) swim from Isla de la Luna to Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia in 2 hours 23 minutes.
On 3 July 2016, she completed the 29.9 km stage of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in 6 hours 17 minutes at the age of 36.
On 1 October 2016, she completed the 45.8 km 20 Bridges Manhattan Island Swim around New York City in 8 hours 13 minutes 20 seconds at the age of 37.
On 6 April 2017, she completed a 2.5 mile (4 km) Strait of Magellan solo crossing in 1 hour 10 minutes at the age of 37.
On 2 June 2017, she completed the 20 km (13-mile) Mercer Island Marathon Swim in Washington in 8 hours 39 minutes at the age of 37.
On 28-29 July 2017, she won the inaugural 40 Bridges – Double Manhattan Island Swim of 57 miles (91.6 km) in 20 hours 12 minutes 6 seconds (8 hours 35 minutes 43 seconds in the first circumnavigation + 11 hours 36 minutes 28 seconds on the second circumnavigation) while setting the two-loop circumnavigation swim record at the age of 37.
On 6 August 2017, she completed the 14 km (8.7-mile) Thames Marathon from Henley-on-Thames to Marlow in 3 hours 12 minutes at the age of 37, finishing as the first non-wetsuit female, second non-wetsuit overall.
On 19 August 2017, she completed the 27.3 km Rose Pitonof Swim in New York in 5 hours 2 minutes at the age of 38.
On 28-29 August 2017, she completed a 40 mile (64 km) Lago Maggiore solo crossing in 24 hours 2 minutes at the age of 38.
On 14 October 2017, she completed a 15.2 km New York Bay swim from Verrazano Bridge to Marine Parkway in 3 hours 40 minutes as a test swim for Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers at the age of 38.
On 4 February 2018, she finished 6th in the 15 km Cold Half Extreme Marathon Swim in Hong Kong in 5:57:39.
On 24 June 2018, she completed a 12 mile/19 km New York Bay swim from the Brooklyn Bridge to Coney Island Pier (Buoy #6) in 4 hours 2 minutes as a test swim for Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers
She set a Guinness World Record for completing the Fastest Six Continents Swim
Swim #1: South America: On August 13th 2018 from Pendales to Corales del Rosario National Park in Cartagena, Colombia. With observers Arik Thormahlen and Santiago Marin Piedrahita, and pilots Johnes Luis Pimentes Avila and Oscar Bedoya, Cartagena, Colombia, Monahan completed a 10.2 km swim in 5 hours 25 minutes 1 second in 30 – 32.7°C water.
Swim #2: Oceana: On August 17th 2018 from Little Bay Beach to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. With observer Vlad Mravec, pace swimmer Dean Summers, and kayaker Arik Thormahlen, Monahan completed a 10.5 km swim in 4 hours 11 minutes 12 seconds in 15°C water.
Swim #3: Asia: On August 20th 2018 along the length of East Coast Park. With pilot-observer Kelvin Tan and kayaker Arik Thormahlen, Monahan completed a 10.5 km swim in 3 hours 27 minutes 13 seconds in 29°C water.
Swim #4: Africa: On August 24th 2018 from Al’Mina Ash Sharqiyah Marina in Eastern Harbour to Beau Rivage Jetty in Alexandria, Egypt. With observer Ahmed Badawy, observer Adem Badawy, and kayaker Arik Thormahlen, Monahan completed a 10.5 km in 5 hours 21 minutes in 30°C water.
Swim #5: Europe: On August 24th 2018 from Lausanne, Switzerland to Evian-les-Bains, France. With event organizer Tim Davies and kayaker Arik Thormahlen, Monahan completed the 13 km Geneva Classic in Lake Geneva in 4 hours 50 minutes in 20°C water.
Swim #6: North America: On August 28th 2018 around Manhattan Island. With observer Janine Serell, escort boat pilot Sean Makofsky, and kayaker Arik Thormahlen, Monahan completed the 45.9 km circumnavigation swim around Manhattan Island starting and ending at Pier A in 9 hours 43 minutes.
She finished 22nd overall in the Ice Kilometer at the 3rd International Ice Swimming Association World Championship held in Murmansk, Russia in March 2019 at the age of 40.
She swam around Manhattan Island 4 consecutive times in a 183 km Quadruple Manhattan Swim in 45 hours 24 minutes on 18-20 September 2020.
Role in Swimming Community
Swimmer
Awards & Accomplishments
Honors
She was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer in the Class of 2018.
She won the 2016 Barra Award for Best Overall Year by the Marathon Swimmers Federation.
She won the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year award from the World Open Water Swimming Association.
She was nominated for the Barra Award for Most Prolific Overall Year by the Marathon Swimmers Federation in 2017.
She won the 2017 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year award from the World Open Water Swimming Association.
She won the 2017 Yudovin Award For Most Adventurous Swim from the Marathon Swimmers Federation for the first unassisted swim of the length of Lago Maggiore in Italy.
She was recognized by the Guinness World Records for being the first person to achieve the Ice Sevens Challenge.
She was nominated for the 2018 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
She set two Guinness World Records in 2018: the Fastest Six Continents Swim and the First to Complete the Ice Sevens.
She was inducted in the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2019 as an Honor Swimmer.
She was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women in 2017 by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
She was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women in 2018 by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
She was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women in 2019 by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
She completed the Frosted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming on 20 March 2015.
She was written about in the book Strong Like Her by Haley Shapley.
She is the Queen of Manhattan Island with 29 total circumnavigation swims in her career to date.
