Gail Steele

Gail Steele is a 60-year-old American escort pilot from Derby, Vermont who was elected as a Contributor and Crew in the Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame in the Class of 2017.

Open Water Swimming Career

Steele kayaked and crewed at all but one of the Kingdom Swims since its founding in 2009 and crewed with her husband Chris Steele at the first two In Search of Memphre swims.

Bethany Bosch, 32 of Wallingford, Vermont: As a Marathon Swimmer, Bosch became the first Vermont resident to successfully swim the 21-mile English Channel in 2014. Her marathon swimming career started as the slowest swimmer in the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2011. She returned in 2012 and completed the swim faster by one hour 30 minutes. Bosch completed the 25-mile In Search of Memphre Swim in 2013.

Charlotte Brynn, 51 of Stowe, Vermont: As a Marathon Swimmer, Brynn completed two legs of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in 2014 (i.e., 20-mile Catalina Channel and 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim) that followed previous setbacks. She completed the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2010. In 2011, she was one of only 4 (out of 9) to complete the inaugural 25-mile In Search of Memphre in the face of 25 to 30 mph headwinds. Brynn won the 25 km Border Busters event in 2016. As a Winter Swimmer, Brynn completed two Ice Miles in temperatures below 5°C in a normal swimsuit. As an Adventure Swimmer, Brynn completed more swims than anyone in Vermont waters: Champlain, Memphremagog, NEK Swim Week, Skinner Island, Ile Ronde, and Georgeville or Bust as new swims on Lake Memphremagog. As a Contributor – Coach, Brynn is the founder and inspiring coach of the Stowe Distance Swimmers which has produced more marathoners than any other program in Vermont.

Gary Golden, 62 of Burlington, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Golden has kayaked at nearly every NEKOWSA swim since 2010 including paddling the length of Lake Memphremagog in support of In Search of Memphre in 2015 and 2016.

Don Houghton, Jr., 70 of Craftsbury, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Houghton kayaked and piloted at nearly every NEKOWSA swim since 2010, including paddling the length of Lake Memphremagog in support of In Search of Memphre in 2016 for Craig Lenning’s solo swim in 2015, and travelling to Arizona repeatedly to support swimmers in four marathon swims over four days at S.C.A.R.

Cynthia Needham, 69 of Hyde Park, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew and kayaker in numerous NEKOWSA swims including Sarah Thomas' 50-mile double crossing In Search of Memphre in 2013 and Charlotte Brynn’s many swims on Lake Memphremagog and on seven marathon swims (and attempts) from California to New York and England.

Bill Shipp, 56 of Mitchelville, Maryland: As a Marathon Swimmer, Shipp completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in 2014 and 2015 (i.e., 21-mile English Channel, 20-mile Catalina Channel, and 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim). Shipp’s Vermont record started with the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2010. He then overcame cancer, returned in 2011 for another 10-mile Kingdom Swim and attempted the inaugural 25-mile In Search of Memphre. Shipp completed In Search of Memphre in 2012, was the top male at the inaugural 15-mile Border Buster in 2014 and was top male in the 25 km Border Buster in 2016.

Chris Steele, 60 of Derby, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Steele piloted and led the fleet of patrol boats supporting the inaugural Kingdom Swim in 2009. He served as the First Rear Admiral of the fleet from 2010 to 2012 and piloted a boat in the first two In Search of Memphre swims through fierce weather conditions. He has supported every Kingdom Swim that his boat was in the water since 2009.

Gail Steele, 60 of Derby, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Steele kayaked and crewed at all but one of the Kingdom Swims since its founding in 2009 and crewed with her husband Chris at the first two In Search of Memphre swims.

Sarah Thomas, 33 of Conifer, Colorado: As a Marathon Swimmer, the first person to complete a double crossing of Lake Memphremagog, swimming 50 miles in 30 hours in 2013. As an out-of-stater, this swim redefined marathon swimming in Vermont. She returned to Lake Memphremagog in 2014, winning the 15-mile Border Buster. Thomas is a world-renowned marathon swimmer who in 2016 swam 80 miles the length of Lake Powell, the longest lake swim in history.

Paula Yankauskas, 62 of Hyde Park, Vermont: As a Marathon Swimmer, Yankauskas is the oldest American woman to swim the 21-mile English Channel which she complete in 2016. She is the oldest person to swim the 25-mile length of Lake Memphremagog in the In Search of Memphre in 2014. Her swims include repeated Kingdom Swims, repeated NEK Swim Weeks, the 15-mile Border Busters, and the 25 km Border Busters in 2016.