Open water swimming is our work. The swimmer is our focus.
Swim Tahoe brings experienced captains, dedicated Axopar escort vessels, and deliberate preparation to Lake Tahoe marathon and ultramarathon swim attempts. Our team is Sylvia Lacock, Bryan Temmermand, Kelly Gentry, and Aaron Jarvis.
We pilot the Length, True Width, and Vikingsholm. Our job starts before you enter the water: understanding the attempt, planning the escort, and preparing for the conditions. On the lake, it means navigation, vessel operation, clear communication, and attention to how the swim is developing.
349 Successful Lake Tahoe Swims Piloted
Our captains have successfully piloted 349 swims on Lake Tahoe’s Length, True Width, and Vikingsholm courses through the 2026 swim season. That experience comes from preparing for individual crossings, managing long hours on the water, and working with swimmers pursuing some of their most demanding goals.
We have sold out every available Lake Tahoe swim slot in seven of our last nine seasons. For the best choice of dates, apply in September of the year before you plan to swim. Our season has limited capacity, and available dates fill quickly.
If your preferred dates are full, apply anyway. We maintain a limited standby list, and occasional openings arise when swimmers withdraw because of injury or scheduling changes. We welcome applications throughout the year. Standby placement does not guarantee a swim date.
Our connection to the lake begins in the water. Sylvia Lacock became the first person to swim the True Width course in 2017. Today, that firsthand swimming background and years of piloting inform how we prepare for your attempt.
Meet Your Captains
Sylvia Lacock
USCG Master Captain and Cofounder
Sylvia brings more than two decades of San Francisco Bay swimming and a background in marathon and channel swimming including the Catalina Channel, multiple English Channel relays, and other challenging courses. She cofounded Pacific Open Water Swim Co. in 2017. That same year, she became the first person to swim Lake Tahoe’s True Width course.
She holds a U.S. Coast Guard 25 ton Near Coastal Master credential. Her perspective comes from both sides of the escort: preparing for a long swim and taking responsibility at the helm.
Bryan Temmermand
USCG Master Captain and Cofounder
Bryan cofounded Pacific Open Water Swim Co. with Sylvia in 2017. His background spans competitive swimming, water polo, endurance sports, and business operations. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 25 ton Near Coastal Master credential and helps lead planning and operations across the affiliated companies.
His approach is practical: prepare carefully, communicate clearly, and make decisions around the swimmer, the vessel, and the conditions.
Kelly Gentry
USCG Captain and Swim Coach
Kelly is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain and swimming coach with more than two decades of coaching experience. Her background includes competitive swimming, water polo at UC Santa Cruz, and coaching across club, masters, high school, collegiate, and open water swimming.
She has guided more than 120 swim trips in Europe and hundreds of swims with Pacific Open Water in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. She also completed a solo English Channel swim in September 2022. That combination of coaching, personal swimming experience, and piloting brings a valuable understanding of the swimmer to the boat.
Aaron Jarvis
USCG Captain, Ironman Triathlete, and Marathon Swimmer
Aaron brings a background in fire service, endurance sports, and marathon swimming to Swim Tahoe. A fire captain in Marin County, experienced triathlete, and jiu jitsu practitioner, he understands the preparation and sustained effort that demanding physical goals require.
He also knows a Tahoe crossing from the water. Aaron completed the solo True Width marathon swim in 2022 and the Vikingsholm marathon swim in August 2023, giving him personal experience of the commitment involved in a long swims across the lake. His emergency response background, rough water rescue training, and experience as a swimmer bring a valuable perspective to our captain team.
Our Axopar Escort Boats
Our Axopar boats are dedicated escort platforms for open water swimming. We select and configure our vessels around the practical work of swimmer support. For Swim Tahoe, the boat is part of the swim operation, not simply transportation to the start.
We plan the escort around the course, swimmer, crew, and expected duration. The captain operates the vessel and manages navigation. The swimmer’s support crew and independent observer have distinct responsibilities that must be understood before departure.
Preparation Before the Start. Judgment on the Water.
Lake Tahoe brings altitude, night swimming, and changing water and weather conditions to marathon swimming. Summer water can feel warm to swimmers accustomed to San Francisco Bay, but temperature, exposure, and comfort vary with the conditions and time spent in the water.
We ask swimmers to bring an honest assessment of their preparation, experience, and expected pace. Together, we work through the course, crew arrangements, feeding plan, and practical details of the attempt. On the water, the plan must remain responsive to the swimmer and the conditions. Completion is a goal, not a guarantee.
Independent Observation. Clear Responsibilities.
All Lake Tahoe swims we offer are unassisted marathon or ultramarathon swim attempts. Wetsuits, neoprene, and physical support from the escort vessel or another person are not permitted.
Every attempt follows Lake Tahoe Open Water Swimming Association (LTOWSA) rules and requires an independent observer assigned by LTOWSA. We pilot the attempt. The observer documents it. LTOWSA reviews the observer record for ratification and recognition.
Observer and ratification fees are additional to our piloting fees. Review the rules and fees as you plan your attempt.
Built Alongside Pacific Open Water
Swim Tahoe, LLC is a separate company affiliated with Pacific Open Water Swim Co. The companies share a foundation in swimmers, professional piloting, and focused preparation. Our work in San Francisco Bay provides a connection for swimmers building toward longer goals; our Tahoe service focuses on the demands of the lake.
Tell Us About Your Lake Tahoe Swim GOALS
Start with the course you are considering, your preferred dates, and your swimming background. We will help you understand the next steps for an attempt with Swim Tahoe.