‘It was so magical’: the 33-year-old who made history swimming the length of California

The Guardian Sport Saturday 24 October 2026, 10:00 UTC By Lois Beckett in Los Angeles 1 min read

Key Points

Ultra-endurance swimmer Catherine Breed navigated waves, wildlife and pollution to become the first person to swim from state’s northern-most tip to Mexico borderNearly four months ago, Catherine Breed, a 33-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area, set out to become the first person to swim the entire coastline of California – from its northern-most tip to the border with Mexico. She and her support team prepared for encounters with sharks and storms. They hadn’t anticipated completing the...

Ultra-endurance swimmer Catherine Breed navigated waves, wildlife and pollution to become the first person to swim from state’s northern-most tip to Mexico border

Nearly four months ago, Catherine Breed, a 33-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area, set out to become the first person to swim the entire coastline of California – from its northern-most tip to the border with Mexico. She and her support team prepared for encounters with sharks and storms. They hadn’t anticipated completing the marathon swim during a year of historic super El Niño weather.

But after dodging hurricanes, wildlife and 8ft waves in an unusually volatile Pacific Ocean, Breed finally celebrated the end of her journey on a beach in San Diego on Monday.

California Ultra (ORG) Catherine Breed (PERSON) Mexico (LOCATION) the San Francisco Bay Area (LOCATION) California (LOCATION) Pacific Ocean (LOCATION) San Diego (LOCATION)

Originally published by The Guardian Sport Read original →

The landscape that surrounds historic sites often holds stories that go far beyond the buildings and monuments that stand on them. From myriad forests to riverbanks that have seen and shaped early settlements to the land that have sustained generations of people, these spaces hold a multitude of natural and human histories. In Virginia, 480 acres along the Potomac River at Stratford Hall Historic Preserve have now received permanent protection through a new conservation easement, helping...

Times of India 35m ago

Three Singapore-registered companies say they will comply with NEA's haze notices

Three Singapore-registered companies say they will comply with NEA's haze notices NEA had issued notices to 10 Singapore-registered firms on Friday (Oct 23) to seek documents and information as part of its efforts to address transboundary haze pollution. Three companies that received notices from the National Environment Agency (NEA) under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act on Friday (Oct 23) have said they will comply with requests for documents and information. Wilmar International,...

Channel News Asia 1h ago