NAME: Katie Bennett

HOMETOWN: Cambridge, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie!

WHY BLS? I crewed for my friend and open-water teammate Kyle Lomeli back in 2022, and always thought BLS was a bucket list swim I'd do "someday". I was lucky enough to get a spot this year, and am super excited to be a part of such a legendary event!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? I will be supported by a fantastic crew of Kyle Lomeli and my parents Mary Bohan and Brad Bennett. My pilot is Owen Shea.

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? I'm constantly swimming in circles around Pleasure Bay, with occasional dips along M Street or down to Nantasket!

SWIMMING FUN FACT: When I was five, I couldn't advance to the next level of swim lessons because I failed the elementary backstroke. I got my revenge by becoming a backstroke specialist in college!

ANYTHING ELSE? I'm so grateful for the incredible Boston Open Water Swimming (BOWS) community, an incredible and inspirational group of people who have encouraged me to enjoy every moment in the water. I'd also like to thank Chuck Beatty and Kristen Bergmann for introducing me to the magic of open water swimming during summer 2020 - I'll always treasure the Lake Erie morning memories!