Deborah Gardner

Deborah Gardner is a 66-year-old American pool and open water swimmer from Arizona.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

On 1 September 2026, she became the first person to swim backstroke across the 19.6 km Santa Barbara Channel from Anacapa Island to the California mainland in 7 hours 38 minutes at the age of 66. She was supported by open water swimming coach Emily Evans, coach Erika Shanahan Gliebe, pool coach Brad Traci Hering, and nutrition and fitness coach Xavier Smith.
On 8 October 2025, she completed a crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California in 13 hours 5 minutes at the age of 66, setting a Guinness World Record as the oldest female swimmer.
On 24 April 2025, she completed a 14.1 km crossing of Canyon Lake in Arizona in 4 hours 55 minutes at the age of 65 at the SCAR Swim Challenge.
On 24 April 2026, she completed a 22.8 km crossing of Apache Lake in Arizona in 9 hours 14 minutes at the age of 66 at the SCAR Swim Challenge.
On 25 April 2026, she completed a 10 km swim in Roosevelt Lake in Arizona in 3 hours 45 minutes at the age of 66 at the SCAR Swim Challenge.