Hector Pardoe swims the length of Lake Como
History Made on Lake Como
On Monday 10th August 2026, British Olympian Hector Pardoe became only the second person ever to swim the entire length of Lake Como. A whopping 47.54km, from Como to Gera Lario in one continuous swim. He completed this mammoth task in a record 10 hours 41 minutes 31 seconds. That’s a staggering 9 hours faster than the only previous swimmer to complete the crossing.
The challenge
Just days after competing at the European Swimming Championships in Paris, Hector took on what he calls “the crown jewel of inland open water swimming.” SwimQuest were immensely proud to help facilitate this historic challenge alongside Diego Novella, Patricia Mountain and the Auxiliary Coast Guard.
Italy has been part of Hector’s story since he was 15, training at nearby Lago d’Orta and calling the region his second home. This swim was as much a tribute to that connection as it was an extraordinary athletic feat.
From World Championship bronze in Doha to sixth at the Paris Olympics, and now the second-ever crossing of Italy’s most famous lake — Hector continues to redefine what’s possible in marathon swimming.
At times during the swim, I really had to push through the exhaustion, pain, heat, humidity and waves. There were moments when I genuinely questioned why I’d signed up for this swim. Moments where everything in my body was telling me to stop. But giving up was never going to be an option.
SwimQuest support
SwimQuest provided full pre-challenge consultation, safety, route planning and swim support for this epic challenge.
Thinking about completing your own unique challenge?
Get in touch with Alice (07825 301443 [email protected]) or John (07951 727453 [email protected]) – we would be delighted to hear from you.
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