59-year-old woman first to swim length of Lake Winnebago

A southeastern Wisconsin woman has made history by becoming the first known person to swim the entire length of Lake Winnebago.

On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Fifty-nine-year-old Melodee Liegl of Delafield completed the nearly 28-mile open water swim in just under 17 hours. She entered the water around 4 a.m. near the Fond du Lac lighthouse and finished at Waverly Beach in Menasha.

Liegl maintained a pace of about two miles per hour throughout the swim, stopping only briefly for food and hydration while being escorted by a support boat.

Liegl chose today to make the swim because of it’s favorable weather conditions, with light winds and relatively calm water.

The marathon swim required months of planning and endurance training, and supporters say the accomplishment marks the first successful swim spanning the full length of Wisconsin’s largest inland lake.