2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Open Water/Long Distance)
2010 Length of Lake Winnipesaukee – 22 miles, age 76
2004 Became the oldest person to ever swim the English Channel (21 miles) at age 70 years and 3 days, completing the swim in 15 hours 59 minutes.
USMS Long Distance All-Star – 15 consecutive years (1996-2010)
USMS All-American
Long Distance – 44 (1992-2010)
Pool – 1
USMS Records
Pool – 1 lifetime individual
USMS Top Ten – 121 individual, 2 relay
Club: New England Masters (NEM)
George Brunstad was a college swimmer in the 1950s but never attained elite status, partly because he only swam what he now calls short distances. “I later found that I am a true long-distance swimmer,” he says. “Looking back, I probably could have done well if they had the 10K that is part of the Olympics today. I do not claim to have a lot of natural swimming talent, many others have much more. I just worked hard and was blessed with endurance.”
George started Masters swimming under the old AAU near its beginning in 1973 and achieved some success in the pool, including National Championships in such events as the LC Meters 400, 800, and 1500 free, 400 IM, and 200 Fly. “But my true place proved to be in long-distance open water events,” he says. “I became the USMS Long Distance All-Star (one person per age group per year) for 15 consecutive years from 1996 through 2010, winning multiple National and World Championships along the way.”
George says his “best effort” in swimming was becoming the oldest person to swim the English Channel in 2004 at the age of 70. His swim was guided by pilot Michael Oram, assisted by Alison Streeter and observed by Marcy MacDonald, all Channel swimming legends in their own right. George’s swim was recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records and George was depicted in a Ripley’s Believe-It-or-Not cartoon. The swim received worldwide recognition and an account was read into the Congressional record.
George’s name on the wall of the White Horse Tavern in Dover, UK
George recalls that “the swim had an important purpose. Our church missions committee was trying to help a sister Haitian church whose pastor had a vision to start an orphanage and school in a remote area of Haiti where there were no public schools or even electricity. On my 69th birthday I started intensive training for a Channel swim with the purpose to fund this project with my wife Judy as the fundraiser. We were able to raise $55,000 by way of the swim to start this project and now the school [Center of Hope Haiti] has 126 full-time students in grades 1 through 9. The children are getting an education, have clothes, meals, comfortable quarters and electricity (generator) among other things. Our contribution was a starter and now many others have come on board to support its continued success.”
George’s 22-mile swim the length of Lake Winnipesaukee on his 76th birthday has also become part of the local folklore in the New Hampshire lakes region and among marathon swimmers. That swim was completed without a wetsuit (as was his Channel swim) and also featured a charity fundraising component.