About Katie
Katie Pumphrey, 37, is an ultra marathon open water swimmer and visual artist. She lives and works in Baltimore, MD.
On June 25th 2024, Katie Pumphrey became the first person to complete the BAY TO BALTIMORE SWIM, a 24-mile swim from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
Katie’s other major open water swims include two English Channel swims (2015, 2022), two Catalina Channel swims (2018, 2024), and around the island of Manhattan in 2017. Those three swims make up the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, making Katie the 194th person (73rd woman) in the world to achieve that honor.
Katie is currently training for her 3rd English Channel in 2025.
When not training or coaching other swimmers, Katie is a full-time visual artist. Her large scale paintings and sculptures are deeply connected to swimming, and her experiences in the water continue to drive and greatly influence her work.
Katie lives in Baltimore City, Maryland with her husband Joe and their dog, Adja.
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- (First Person) Bay to Baltimore Swim, 24mi, 2024
- English Channel, 2015, 2022
-Catalina Channel, 2018, 2024
-Circumnavigation Manhattan, 2017
-(First Person) Double Potomac Swim, 15mi, 2014
-(First Person) Double Length Deep Creek Lake, 21mi, 2021
-DC Marathon Swim, 2023
Here for a more complete list of MSF recognized swims.
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-Baltimore Magazine, Katie Pumphrey Reflects on Her Epic Swim and How the Water Influences Her Art
-CBS, Katie Pumphrey, Maryland native, conquers 20-mile swimathon off the coast of Los Angeles
-Washington Post, Swimmer completes 14-hour trek from Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
-NPR, All Things Considered: This ultra-distance swimmer became the first to take 24-mile route up Chesapeake Bay
-Baltimore Banner, Baltimore woman completes historic swim to Inner Harbor
-MASN Orioles First Pitch, Katie Pumphrey after making 24-mile swim to the Inner Harbor
-Baltimore Sun, Katie Pumphrey finishes 24 miles from Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor: ‘Swim of a lifetime’
-Swimming World Magazine, Marathon Swimmer Katie Pumphrey to Attempt ‘Bay to Baltimore’ Swim
-Baltimore Sun, Baltimore woman to attempt 24-mile swim from Chesapeake Bay to Inner Harbor
-Baltimore Magazine, Local Artist Katie Pumphrey Just Swam the English Channel- Again
-CBS, Woman takes on 24-mile swim from Bay Bridge to Baltimore's Inner Harbor
-Baltimore Magazine, BMAG x The Truth in This Art: Katie Pumphrey on Her Identity as an Artist and Athlete
-No Pix After Dark Podcast, EP 133: Katie Pumphrey Baltimore Artist & Open Water Swimmer
- KonkLife, Katie Pumphrey’s English Channel Swim
-BmoreArt, ArtAND: Katie Pumphrey
-Shoutout LA, Meet Katie Pumphrey | Artist and Open Water Swimmer
-Highlandtown Arts District, Artist Profile: Katie Pumphrey
-CBS Baltimore, Baltimore’s Katie Pumphrey Becomes 73rd Woman In History To Complete The Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
-Florida Weekly, Katie Pumphrey: Painting for her life
-Washington Post, Baltimore Artist completes English Channel swim in 14 hours 19 minutes
-Jolyn Clothing Blog, Motivational Mondays: Katie Pumphrey
-Tim Corbin Films, About Living
-Washington Post, Katie Pumphrey completes 15-mile open water swim
-Washington Post, Across the Potomac and onto the Channel
-Washington Post, Think you’re working out hard? Consider Katie Pumphrey’s week
-Washington Post, How Much Can This Woman Eat?
-Washington Post, Training to Swim English Channel
