Teen successfully becomes the youngest to swim across Lake Ontario

TORONTO – A 14-year old St. Catharines, Ont. girl has  become the youngest person on record to make the 52-kilometre swim across Lake Ontario.

Trinity Arsenault set out just after six o’clock Sunday night from Niagara-on-the-Lake, arriving about 24 hours later with her family nervously awaiting.

“Definitely anxious because we are hearing rolling thunder,” said Deborah Arsenault, Trinity’s grandmother. “We haven’t heard any word from our key people on the crew to say that there’s a problem out there so we’re trusting that means she’s on target.”

Annaleise Carr of Norfolk County was also 14 when she completed the swim two years ago, but she was just slightly older than Arsenault.

Arsenault’s mother has also made the swim- they are now the first mother-daughter team to have done so.

“Chris has inspired her, so we’re not surprised she moved in this direction. We’re proud of her beyond measure because she is an amazing young woman and we look forward to all of the wonderful things she’s going to do,” said Deborah, “this is just the beginning. Actually, this isn’t even the beginning it’s part of her journey.”

The grade 8 teenager is raising money for Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart program which helps kids in sports to pay for their training and equipment costs.

According to her website, Arsenault has been training for her Lake Ontario swim since 2012.

-With files from Jennifer Palisoc