Because Girls Can – 5 Women – 305km – 5 Days

Five Ontario women between the ages of 18 and 61 are showing “they can” as they complete a 305km swimming relay of Lake Ontario – just passing Prince Edward Point Wednesday morning.

The swim began July 23rd in Kingston and is expected to finish approximately five days later in Burlington.

‘Because Girls Can’ is designed to showcase the power of women, through the relay and their fundraising goal of $300,000 for Plan International’s “Because I am a Girl” initiative.

Four of the women have successfully completed Lake Ontario crossings; Colleen Shields (61; 1990 and 2006), Nicole Mallette (47; 1997), Samantha Whiteside (23; 2006), and Rebekah Boscariol (18; 2011). The fifth swimmer, Mona Sharari (18) successfully swam the English Channel in the fall of 2012. Having each already completed a solo-marathon swim, they are no strangers to the unpredictable conditions associated with marathon swimming.

The swim started from Kingston’s Confederation Park July 23rd at 10a.m. with all five girls swimming the first kilometer together. The swim continues relay style with each athlete swimming for two hours followed by eight hours off. Swimming both day and night, they expect to reach Spencer Smith Park, Burlington by July 27th.

Plan International’s Because I am a Girl initiative is a social movement to unleash the power of girls and women to claim a brighter future for girls in the developing world.

Visit Because Girls Can on Facebook for more photos, updates on progress.