Jet ski champion, stuntwoman, entrepreneur — Christy Swaid has built her life on speed, precision, and an unshakable love for challenge. But her greatest achievement did not come during her years of dominance on the water. It came after loss, after doubt, and after choosing to begin again.
On Lake Martin near Birmingham, Alabama, Swaid mounts her jet ski with calm intensity. Right knee planted. Hands locked on the grips. She opens the throttle and the engine roars to life. The machine slices through the water in sharp slalom movements, spray rising behind her. Every wave is absorbed through subtle body adjustments. She pivots, circles, lifts one hand in triumph, and glides back toward shore. For Swaid, jet skiing is not just sport — it is freedom. “It’s pure happiness,” she says. “I love the water, the smell of gasoline, the sound of engines. I need speed and physical challenges.”
That need carried her to the top of her sport. Competing under her maiden name, Christy Carlson, she claimed six jet ski world championship titles and became one of the most recognizable faces in the sport’s rise to popularity. ESPN broadcast races live. Sponsorships followed. She worked as a stunt performer for television series such as Baywatch and appeared in feature films. Her first professional race on May 28, 1989, ended in victory — a moment she still describes as shocking both the world and herself.
Her journey began long before international recognition. Raised between Chicago and Florida after her parents’ divorce, she spent summers working in her father’s jet ski rental business. By 13 she was racing; by 15 she was winning. At 19, she became world champion. When a sponsor once offered her a used Porsche instead of prize money, she eagerly wanted the car. Her father chose the cash instead — a decision she initially found disappointing but now appreciates for its long-term wisdom. The dream of owning a Porsche, however, never disappeared.
Today, performance remains central to her identity — whether on water or asphalt. She drives a white Macan S for everyday duties and towing her jet skis, but her personal pride is an arctic grey 718 Boxster S, affectionately named Grace. She purchased the roadster during a visit to California, where her eldest son studies sports medicine. A test drive convinced her instantly: the mid-engine balance, the six-speed manual gearbox, the direct connection to the road. On Alabama’s winding hills she drives with the top down, though true limits are reserved for the Porsche Track Experience at Barber Motorsports Park. There, on the nearly four-kilometer circuit, she finds the ideal racing line and pushes the car to its potential — controlled, precise, and fully engaged.
At 30, Swaid stepped away from professional jet skiing and stunt work to marry neurosurgeon Dr. Swaid N. Swaid and move to Alabama. Before her two sons were born, she founded HEAL United — Healthy Eating, Active Living — a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving children’s health. What began as an idea at her dining table grew into a state-supported initiative reaching approximately 45,000 students across more than 220 public schools in Alabama. Her competitive drive had transformed into community impact.
Then 2020 brought profound loss. During the pandemic, her mother passed away unexpectedly, followed soon after by her former coach and then her father. With her sons preparing for college and responsibilities mounting, there was little room to process grief. She fell into one of the most difficult periods of her life. “I felt surrounded by fear,” she recalls. “Like I was in a prison cell.”
The turning point came in 2024 through an unexpected encounter with a master of the jet ski backflip — a stunt requiring vertical lift, perfect throttle control, and complete commitment. It was unlike the high-speed racing she had mastered. This was about precision in the air, not dominance across the surface. Determined to break through her fear, she decided to attempt it.
On June 13, 2024, crowds gathered at Lake Mitchell south of Birmingham as the 53-year-old prepared to attempt the maneuver. The first three tries failed. On the fourth, part of the throttle lever pierced her left leg. More attempts followed, bringing bruises and exhaustion. Yet she refused to stop. On the tenth attempt, the jet ski launched upward off a wake, rose vertically, rotated backward, and landed cleanly upright on the water. The crowd erupted. Bloodied and bruised, Swaid smiled in relief. She had done it.
The achievement earned her a Guinness World Record as the oldest person to complete a backflip on a jet ski at 53 years old. More importantly, it marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Swaid went on to found Checkered Flag Living, an initiative focused not only on physical fitness but also on mental resilience. She speaks openly about the difficulty of healing emotional wounds, believing that rebuilding the spirit can be harder than recovering from physical injury. The backflip was never just a stunt; it was proof that fear can be confronted at any stage of life.
Her 718 Boxster S now symbolizes that renewed joy — a reminder to embrace the present and drive forward with intention. Her philosophy is simple yet powerful: live as though the next lap could be your best.
For Christy Swaid, speed remains essential. But today, it is no longer about winning races. It is about reclaiming momentum, redefining strength, and proving that even after life’s hardest turns, there is always another lap ahead.
