07/20/2026
🏊 90 KM DOWN — 20 KM TO GO! 🏊
UPDATE, July 20: Chad English set out to swim 100 kilometres across Lake of the Woods on July 9th — from Sable Island to Kenora — and he's now 90 km in and still swimming strong, with just 20 km left to reach Kenora. He's about to surpass his goal. The biggest challenge of his life, one stroke at a time.
But this swim was never really about the distance.
It's powered by his daughter, Sophie — one of our own Kenora Swimming Sharks.
Sophie was born at 32 weeks and needed immediate heart surgery at SickKids. At one year old, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has faced multiple surgeries at Shriners since. Today she's 15 and thriving — a dedicated para swimmer, a Canadian Para Swimming record holder, and the holder of several Ontario records. Watching her push through everything is exactly why Chad is out there.
"The care and support our family received changed our lives," Chad says. "This swim is my way of giving back and saying thank you."
Every dollar raised goes directly to the organizations that supported his family — no admin fees, no middle ground, just support going where it's needed most:
• Shriners Hospitals for Children
• SickKids Hospital
• Dr. Beveridge Kenora Community Fund
• Jennifer Schott Scholarship Fund
• Lake of the Woods Community Foundation
From the pool deck to open water — this is what our sport looks like at its very best. With Sophie a Shark and Chad swimming for her (also a Master with Kenora Borealis Multisport Club), we could not be prouder to call this family part of the Kenora Swimming Sharks. 🦈
90 km down, 20 to go, he's almost home. Send him some energy for the final stretch, and if his story resonates, we'd be grateful for a donation, a share, or simply following along.
👉 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568937896304
Swim Ontario and Swimming Canada — we'd love for you to help share Chad and Sophie's story.
