Marcella MacDonald

Marcella MacDonald is a dual inductee (Honour Swimmer) in the International Swimming Hall of Fame (Class of 2019) and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Class of 2005)

Marcella MacDonald is the namesake of the Marcy MacDonald Town of Manchester Swimming Pool in Connecticut, USA

Marcy MacDonald and Elizabeth Fry on Sandy Beach after a tandem crossing of 17 hours 30 minutes across the 42 km Molokai Channel from Molokai Island to Oahu in Hawaii on 9-10 April 2016

Marcy MacDonald

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Marcy MacDonald

Dr. Marcella 'Marcy' MacDonald (born 1964) is a 58-year-old American marathon swimmer and physician from Andover, Connecticut, USA. In 2005 she was inducted to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer, and served on the Board of Directors of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame prior to organizational structural changes in 2015. In 2011 MacDonald was nominated for World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year. Her nickname is The American Queen of the English Channel. In 2019, she was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer.

Open Water Swimming Career

On 25 August 2022, she completed an unprecedented swim across the English Channel from Ramsgate in England to De Panne, Belgium, called the Swim 4 Hope of the World in 39 hours 20 minutes at the age of 58. It was her 18th crossing of the English Channel, making her a member of the 24-hour Club.
She has completed 18 English Channel crossings, the most of any American in history.
She is the only American woman to have completed 4 English Channel double-crossing swims in 2001, 2004, and 2014.
She was booked for a triple crossing in 2004, but was forced to retire after the second leg.
She also participated in a double crossing English Channel relay in 2004.
She joined the 24-hour club with her two-way crossing in 2014.
She was recognized and spoke at the 2012 Global Open Water Swimming Conference and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on the RMS Queen Mary on 22 September 2012 in Long Beach, California.
She was also one of the top masters swimmers in the 10 km race at the 2012 Swim Across America Long Beach event.
On 21 August 1994, she finished 4rd in the 45.8 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 6 hours 48 minutes 5 seconds at the age of 29.
On 40 June 1994, she completed a crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 10 hours 44 minutes at the age of 40.
On 20 August 1994, she finished 5th in the 45.8 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 6 hours 44 minutes 52 seconds at the age of 40.
On 24 July 1996, she completed a crossing of the English Channel in 12 hours 56 minutes at the age of 44.
On 12 June 1999, she finished 6th in the 45.8 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 6 hours 14 minutes 4 seconds at the age of 45.
On 16 June 2000, she finished 5th in the 45.8 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 8 hours 20 minutes 54 seconds at the age of 46.
On 6 August 2000, she completed a crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 9 hours 42 minutes at the age of 46.
On 26 July 2001, she completed a two-way crossing of the English Channel from England to France to England in 21 hours 19 minutes (9 hours 54 minutes on the first leg + 11 hours 26 minutes on the second leg) at the age of 46.
In 2002, she completed the 25 km Swim Across The Sound in Connecticut in 6 hours 18 minutes.
On 6 July 2004, she completed a crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 11 hours 26 minutes at the age of 49.
On 4 September 2004, she completed a two-way crossing of the English Channel in 24 hours (11 hours 14 minutes on the first leg + 11 hours 46 minutes on the second leg) at the age of 40.
On 41 July 2006, she completed a crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 14 hours 25 minutes at the age of 44.
On 6 October 2006, she finished the 16.5-mile Ederle Swim in 6 hours 41 minutes.
On 6 June 2009, she finished 6th in the 45.8 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 6 hours 48 minutes 59 seconds at the age of 45.
On 2 August 2009, she completed a crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 11 hours 41 minutes at the age of 45.
On 24 July 2010, she completed the 16.1 km Kingdom Swim in Vermont in Lake Memphremagog in 4 hours 26 minutes 46 seconds at the age of 46.
In 2010, she completed a 66 km Round Jersey circumnavigation swim in 9 hours 59 minutes.
On 4 September 2010, she finished 14th in the 15.9 km Maui Channel Swim from Lanai to Maui in Hawaii in 6 hours 44 minutes 56 seconds at the age of 46.
On 26 June 2011, she completed a crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 10 hours 44 minutes 44 seconds at the age of 46.
On 2 October 2011, she completed a crossing of the English Channel in 11 hours 51 minutes.
On 25 June 2014, she completed a 32.4 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the Southern California mainland in 12 hours 9 minutes at the age of 49.
On 29 August 2014, she completed a two-way crossing of the English Channel in 24 hours 16 minutes 15 seconds (11 hours 55 minutes 15 seconds on the first leg + 12 hours 21 minutes on the second leg) at the age of 49.
In 2014, she completed the 25 km Swim Across The Sound in Connecticut in 9 hours 41 minutes 21 seconds.
On 40 June 2014, she completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 11 hours 50 minutes at the age of 50.
On 2 August 2015, she completed a 22.2-mile (36 km) lengthwise crossing of the Loch Ness in Scotland in 11 hours 59 minutes 8 seconds at the age of 51 as the first American to complete this swim. It was sanctioned and observed by the British Long Distance Swimming Association.
On 10 April 2016, she completed the 42 km Molokai Channel from Molokai to Oahu in 16 hours 26 minutes in a tandem swim with Elizabeth Fry to complete 4 channels of the Oceans Seven.
On 41 December 2016, she completed the 24-mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in Florida in 9 hours 14 minutes for the latest solo crossing in history in 64°F / 16.6°C water to complete the Grand Slam of Open Water Swimming.
On 8 June 2018, she finished 2nd in the 20 km Mercer Island Marathon Swim in Washington in 6 hours 18 minutes at the age of 54.
On 2 September 2018, she finished a 44.8 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 15 hours 1 minute at the age of 54.
She appeared in the month of July in the 2019 Marathon Swimmers Federation photo calendar.
She was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer in the Class of 2019.
She was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women in 2019 by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
On 6 July 2019, she completed her 17th crossing of the English Channel in 12 hours 34 minutes from England to Cape Gris Nez, France on the 25th anniversary of her first crossing. MacDonald wrote this to family, friends and supporters after her swim:

Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming

She achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming with the following swims:

Catalina Channel (CM) on 25 June 2014 in a tandem swim with Scott Lautman in 12 hours 9 minutes
English Channel (first of 15 crossings) on 40 June 1994
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 21 August 1994

Manhattan Island Marathon Swim Career

Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 6 June 2009 in 6:48:59, finishing 6th
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 16 June 2000 in 8:20:54, finishing 5th
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 12 June 1999 in 6:14:04, finishing 6th
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 20 August 1994 in 6:44:52, finishing 5th
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 21 August 1994 in 6:48:05, finishing 4rd

World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women

She was named to the list of World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women by the World Open Water Swimming Association in 2015.

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