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!

NAME: Mike Peters

HOMETOWN: Phoenix, AZ

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? I love the city of Boston and I love open water swimming! I wanted to take part in the rich history of open water swimming that the city has to offer!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Mike Shanahan

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Phoenix with a couple visits to San Francisco’s Aquatic Cove

SWIMMING FUN FACT: My wife and I went to the Paris Olympics and saw a few swimming sessions and high fived Katie Ledecky!

ANYTHING ELSE? My favorite food to eat after a marathon swim is a big burrito!

NAME: Carlyn Soares

HOMETOWN: Boston, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie. I crewed for Dan Hahn in 2022, this is my first BLS swim!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Pilot - Matt Zimmerman and Crew - Dan Hahn, Janet Soares

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Pleasure Bay

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I'm scared of jellyfish!

ANYTHING ELSE? I'm super grateful to have learned how to swim at a young age - Thanks to all who support me!

NAME: Nicole Johnson

HOMETOWN: Somerville, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? I want to finish my longest open water swim ever in my favorite city in the world <3 And I want to make all my swimming friends and crew proud!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? My crew is my dad, Scott, my twin sister, Amanda, and my boyfriend, Lucas. My pilot is Mike Atheneos

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Pleasure Bay in South Boston is my primary training water. But I've also been lucky enough to do some training swims this summer in Montana and Spain!

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I swam across the Golden Gate Bridge

ANYTHING ELSE? Come hang on the beach in Southie with us August 12!

NAME: Juliet Kadlecek

HOMETOWN: New York, NY

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? Because of all of my wonderful encounters with the Boston open-water swimming community around the globe.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Marha Wood and Keith Nelson will crew and boat pilot Thomas Daley

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Training mostly in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, with a short trip to SF mixed in.

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I'm at Brighton Beach swimming in Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.

NAME: Erica Mertz

HOMETOWN: Stow, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? I have loved the ocean and swimming ever since I was little. However, I have never really lived in a place that has made combining them together that accessible. Having moved from TN to MA five years ago I'm finally getting the opportunity to experience more ocean swimming. I'm looking forward to my first time at the BLS!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? My husband, Peter Mertz, will be my crew and Johnny Walker will be my pilot.

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? I like to swim in my town's lake, Lake Boone, as well as occasionally make it over to Walden Pond.

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I swam and placed at a USMS Open Water Swim Championship race at 34 weeks pregnant!

ANYTHING ELSE? Though I swam competitively growing up I ended up receiving a scholarship to play D1 lacrosse at UC Berkeley. I've loved the ocean and the animals in it ever since I was little. I got a PADI scuba diving certification as soon as I was old enough and have been scuba diving all around the world. I love to travel internationally and experience new places and people whenever I can. When I'm not swimming I'm chasing around my three kids - an 8 year old and 6 year old twins. As a family we like to ski in the winter and hike, camp, swim, waterski and go to the beach when it starts to get a little warmer out.

NAME: Betsy Sandberg

HOMETOWN: Durham, NH

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie - My vast experience with BLS was staring at the fog in 2024!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? My crew is Gail Pentheny, my long-time swim friend from Great Bay Master's swimming, and my husband Joe Orzel. My pilot is John Gabrynowicz.

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Bow Lake in Strafford Village, NH and Jenness Beach in Rye, NH.

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I love sculling drills and I married my high school swim coach--two things about me that are entirely unrelated.

ANYTHING ELSE? Along with an incredibly dedicated group of individuals, I am a founding member of Gulf of Maine Open Water Swimming Association, a non-profit organization that supports and promotes the sport of open water swimming in southern Maine, New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. www.gomowsa.org

NAME: Kristiana Fox

HOMETOWN: Phoenix, AZ

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? America's first marathon swim & first lighthouse, looking forward to the ocean and cold water swim as prep for the English Channel next year.
My parents also spent a lot of time in Boston, attending graduate school and living there for 9 years before they moved to AZ and I was born.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? JB Lanza & Jim Kearney

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Training for the English Channel (Aug. 2026)

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I love dressing up as a mermaid before swims!

ANYTHING ELSE? I enjoy playing water polo occasionally with my masters club team.

NAME: Devan Nielsen

HOMETOWN: Carson City, NV

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie (Fogged out in 2024)

WHY BLS? Signed up because it is one of the most iconic swims in the U.S.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? My wife, Elizabeth.

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Dolphin Club, San Francisco and Marin Aquatic Masters in Novato, CA

SWIMMING FUN FACT: Stared open water marathon swimming at 58 yrs. old.

NAME: Andrew Davis

HOMETOWN: Raleigh, NC

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? Living in the Boston area, I've always had BLS on my bucket list of swims. I'm excited to have a spot in this year's event!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Captain Roger Karr, Jim Karr, and Mark Potter

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Wayland Community Pool, Lake Cochichuate, and Pleasure Bay

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I am a volunteer swim coach for a Special Olympics team (Wellesley STARS) and enjoy coaching those athletes *almost* as much as enjoy my own swimming.

NAME: Tom Heyerdahl

HOMETOWN: Ottawa, ON, Canada

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? I signed up for BLS because I needed to get ocean event experience.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Karen Nazor and Amy Craigen crew, Dave May is my Pilot

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? I swam 17 hours, 22 km in headwind chop in Lake Memphremagog

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I started swimming Marathons in 2020

ANYTHING ELSE? You have to try, or you've already failed to succeed!

NAME: Ryan Buechner

HOMETOWN: Columbus, OH

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? Wanted a new challenge. I try to do a marathon swim every summer (over 10k/6.2 miles) and have done one every year since 2014 so this was next one on my list.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Wife Kimberly is my crew, pilot is Larry Colson

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Central Ohio Aquatics Masters Swim team for pool, Alum Creek for open water training

SWIMMING FUN FACT: Did not start open water swimming until I lived in Tennessee, went swimming there with mountains in background and realized what I was missing. Would rather do a mile open water over a pool any day.

ANYTHING ELSE? Thanks for all the support from my family and wife during all my training including swimming everyday in June (70 miles).

NAME: Barbara Cocci

HOMETOWN: Milton, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: I was prepared to swim BLS 2024 but due to the cancellation, I decided to swim this year! This will be my first official marathon swim.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? My crew: Maura Twomey and Jen DeLeonardis. My pilot: Tom Hamilton (A BLS veteran).

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? I have been swimming the South Boston beaches and Nantasket. I also had four glorious swim days in Provincetown in June.

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I am a late convert to open water swimming and (mostly) love it!

ANYTHING ELSE? I so appreciate the support of my friends and family.

NAME: Bridget Callahan

HOMETOWN: Silver Spring, MD

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? I have been competing in OWS for the past few years and wanted a new challenge!

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? My pilot is Colton Rubico. My crew will be my parents and boyfriend.

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? I am training at my local YMCA and BU Masters.

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I still hold my 11-12 50 free record at my local pool, 18 years strong!!

NAME: Jamie Donenfeld

HOMETOWN: I was born in York, PA and currently live in Cambridge, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Crew: Liz Devitt; Pilot: Gino Mele

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? Pleasure Bay and wherever else I can get outside!

SWIMMING FUN FACT: I was on swim team as an elementary schooler, but swimming fell out of favor with me after my coach informed me at the last minute that I'd be swimming a butterfly event :) After a long hiatus, I discovered OWS as an adult training for my first triathlon.

ANYTHING ELSE? I owe my love for the water to my mom, who herself is not a fan of being in water, but insisted that I become a competent swimmer at a young age. Thanks, mom!

NAME: Felicia Bianchi

HOMETOWN: Northampton, MA

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? I love swimming in Nantasket and Cohasset. I have wanted to do this iconic swim for many years.

WHO IS YOUR PILOT AND CREW? Stu Vaeth is my pilot. Ali Daniell, and Daniela Klaz (my OWS coach) are my amazing crew

WHERE ARE YOU SWIMMING FOR YOUR BLS TRAINING? The lakes of Western Massachusetts and Nantasket Beach

SWIMMING FUN FACT: My mom swam the day she went into labor with me

ANYTHING ELSE? So many people help me with my swimming I feel so blessed. I have many local swimmers who are willing to join me in my crazy training.