Pat
Gallant-Charette is a 60-year-old full-time nurse who cares for her two young
grandchildren and is inspiring friends around the world with her attitude and marathon swimming achievements.
She kicked off 2011 by founding the non-profit Swim for Your Heart
February 14 organization that supports heart disease-related charity groups through
a worldwide swim.
Despite all the demands on her time, she manages
her time well enough to train and travel the world to honor the memories of her
two late brothers. With hundreds of miles of training under her cap, Pat
started her summer season by becoming the oldest American woman to complete the
English Channel in 15 hours and 57 minutes. Not content, she headed west
and became the oldest woman to complete the Catalina Channel in 14 hours and 11
minutes.
For her relentless pursuit of marathon swims in iconic
locations, her unselfish nature in caring for others, and her ever-positive
“can-do” spirit, Pat
Gallant-Charette is a worthy nominee for the 2011 World
Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.
WOWSA aims to promote open water swimming as a global sport for those of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. It hosts the World Open Water Swimming Awards to recognize the open water swimming’s heroes and heroines.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.