Catherine Breed Breaks Record for Fastest Swim from Farallon Islands to SF

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Catherine Breed, a 32-year-old resident of Mill Valley, broke the record for the fastest swim from the Farallon Islands to San Francisco. She completed the 30-mile swim in 13 hours, 54 minutes and 10 seconds early Tuesday, beating the previous record held by Joe Locke by approximately four minutes. The swim still awaits official certification.

Breed began her journey late Monday night, leaving Southeast Farallon Island around 10:45 p.m. Her swim took place in notoriously cold, shark-infested waters, presenting a significant challenge even for experienced swimmers.

“This swim was the mentally hardest despite almost perfect conditions,” Breed shared in a post after finishing. She faced numerous challenges, including jellyfish stings and icy temperatures, noting, “I shivered from Hour Four until I finished.”

As she neared the finish line, Breed found renewed energy. “I went underwater, and I came up, and I let out this guttural scream, I was like ‘Ahhh! Let’s go to the bridge!’” she recalled. “I turned on this gear I didn’t know existed, swimming race pace for the last hour and a half.”

Moreover, Breed is not only breaking records; she holds the current world record for the fastest female swim across Lake Tahoe and plans to attempt a swim along the entire 840-mile California coastline next year.

She emphasized that while breaking records is significant, her main focus is on completing her challenging swims. “I don’t think I care so much about the record,” Breed stated in her video. “I’m more just proud that I finished.”