Relying on Irish superstition and months of cross training, Colleen Shields, 54, of the Etobicoke Olympium Masters Aquatic Club (EOMAC) completed the 52–kilometre-long crossing of Lake Ontario in 16 hours 30 minutes on August 12 and 13.

Almost there – Colleen Shields and her support crew enter the break wall at Marilyn Bell Park on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Amazingly, Shields also lowered her personal record. In 1990, then 38 years old, she swam a shorter distance, from Niagara-on-the-Lake to the Leslie Street Spit in Toronto. She covered the 45.3 kilometres, in 17 hours and 56 minutes.

She is not entirely sure why she was faster over a longer distance. “You have a certain sense of maturity. I feel that with that maturity comes more chances for success.”

Through her swim, Shields hopes to raise at least $5,000 for Right to Play, a Toronto based group that uses sport and play to help children in underprivileged countries around the world. She was inspired after watching Olympic speed skating champion Clara Hughes praise the organization at the recent 2006 Winter Olympics.

Open water swimming has its challenges beyond being fit and mature enough to handle the distance. Shields remains convinced that showing the lake proper respect was a key element in her success. She thinks it may be “Irish superstition,” but a late friend once told her “you need to become one with the lake.” It’s not that the swimmer crosses; “the lake lets you cross her. You need to ask permission to come across.”

The Lake Ontario swim holds a particular interest in the echelon of open water swims in Canada. For Shields, her previous swim was not really official in her heart. She had not made the same crossing as Marilyn Bell, the first to ever successfully swim the lake.

“Every Lake crosser starts at Niagara-on-the-Lake with the plan to go to Marilyn Bell Park. That’s the official swim.”

She did not realize she wasn’t satisfied with her first crossing until two years ago. It was the 50th anniversary of Bell’s swim. Shields was one of 12 swimmers on a commemorative relay. When Shields exited at Bell’s Park, she knew she had “some unfinished business here,” she says. “I was going to do it (again) and do it right. Then I could retire and be totally satisfied.”

In 1993, Shields successfully swam the chilly waters that divide Georgian Bay from Lake Huron, the 25 mile route between South Bay Mouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory.

This year she swam an eight mile event in the Trent Severn River system. She doesn’t enjoy the “sprints” of the 400, 800 and 1,500m freestyle events. “I can’t get going. I don’t consider myself a good freestyler at the shorter distances.”

She is originally a backstroker. A former National team member from 1968-69, Shields swam with the Hamilton Aquatic Club. She went to Switzerland to finish Grade 13, developed other interests and stopped swimming for about 16 years. One day she happened to be talking with a teenage Sandy Goss, a 1984 Olympic relay champion, who suggested she try swimming masters. Goss said, “It’s for the really old people,” Shields laughs.

Over the years, Shields developed shoulder problems. She has had surgery on both shoulders. When she began focusing her attention on crossing Lake Ontario this summer, she spent the winter working on her body’s weak spots, including core and triceps strength. Leaving nothing to chance, she hired a personal trainer, Craig Spear at Integrated Active Living Fitness in Hamilton. “I honestly believe Craig’s training program is responsible for this speed.”

Before they started working together, she was indeed weak in her body core. She could not even do a sit up. “I compensated in other areas which is why my shoulders went.”

Now Shields looks ahead to more cross training and is geared to race in the pool again. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll become fond of the 100m back [again].”

She believes she is finished with Lake Ontario swims. “I don’t think I could ever repeat what I did. I’m thrilled. I don’t want to try and repeat. It’s all good and it’s done.”

Friends that swim together….Nicole Mallette, right, swim manager and best friend, greets Colleen Shields moments after she became the oldest woman to swim Lake Ontario.

For more information, or to donate to Colleen Shields’ swim, follow the links at: www.righttoplay.com

Support Crew:

Chris Borgal – “My navigator. By far the best I have worked with – bang on all the way.” Dennis and Rita Berry drove the powerboat.

Masters supporting Shields:

Pacers: EOMAC’s Nicole Mallette,Cindy Bertelink and Ryan Vandevooren, and John Scott of North Toronto Masters;Voula Kapralos, EOMAC’s assistant coach;

Driver: Charlie Lane;

Zodiac Driver: Stephen Reuter;

Kayak: Larry Kiers;

Swim Official: Bob Weir, formerly of EOMAC.