Teen to swim across Lake Ontario

Seventeen-year-old Rebekah Boscariol will tread choppy waves, tackle fatigue and frigid water in an attempt to swim across Lake Ontario for charity on Friday.

“I guess I’ve always loved open water swimming. Why not do something that I love to help other people,” she told CityNews.ca.

The Markham, Ont. teenager will trace the route swam by then 16-year-old Marilyn Bell, the first swimmer to cross Lake Ontario in 1954.

Boscariol will swim across Lake Ontario from Niagara-On-The-Lake to Marilyn Bell Park in Toronto to raise money for the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, where her younger sister Sophia received treatment for a heart defect in July.

Diagnosed with a heart defect at 18 months, four-year-old Sophia was born with a hole in her heart, which was successfully treated by doctors at SickKids.

So far, Boscariol has raised just under $10,000 in her $20,000 goal.

“We’re very grateful for all of the support,” she said. “[Friends] have spread the word to their friends. They’ve donated and volunteered. My family is really thankful for that.”

The eldest of six children, Boscariol will begin Grade 12 at Markham’s St. Augustine Catholic High School in September.

She trains seven times a week, about two hours every practice.

“I’ve been swimming in basically any lake I can get to,” including Lake Simcoe and Lake Ontario, she said. “We’ve been in cold water, wavy conditions. It’s just been lots of swimming.”

The farthest she has ever swam continuously is 20 kilometres, as part of her training for Friday’s feat.

“I’ve done a lot of lake swims, just training for this but nothing this big yet.”

Boscariol will begin swimming the 52 kilometre-long route at 7 p.m. Friday and will try to finish in less than 21 hours.

She has packed on 10 pounds to battle frigid waters, she said.

“It was kind of fun because I was able to eat basically whatever I wanted,” adding that “it helps with warmth and it also helps with energy.”

Her biggest fear is the cold water, she said.

“I’m nervous but I’m excited,” she said. “I am pretty good with the waves but it’s just cold water. It’s harder.”

She said she visited Niagara-On-The-Lake where the swim will start and will visit Marilyn Bell Park on Thursday to see the end of the route.

Boscariol must stay in the water for the entirety of the swim and cannot touch the boat, according to regulations by Solo Swims of Ontario Inc. She will drink mostly hot fluids from a bottle.

The swimmer has long had ambitions to tread the Great Lake water.

A fellow swimmer on the Markham Aquatic Club swim team suggested she swim the lake about three years ago.

But her mother, Melanie Boscariol, was not keen on the idea.

“When she first mentioned it, it was kind of dread,” Boscariol said. “We delayed her. We wanted to make sure she was really sure about doing this sort of thing.”

Boscariol and her husband, John, will kayak alongside Rebekah. She will also be joined by four boats, eighteen volunteers, including her coach and nutritionist and rescue personnel.

She said she is confident about her daughter’s ability.

“I know that she is a very strong swimmer.”

But added that she is nervous about weather, frigid waters and high waves “that are uncontrollable.”

“I think it’s going to be a real adventure for everyone.”

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