Catalina Channel
Completion of the swim between Catalina Island and California mainland, non wetsuit and not listing multiple times or different directions. Note: Name, Category, Country and Induction Year. The speed record progression is listed here.
Nick Adams, Honor Swimmer, Great Britain, 2013
Greta Andersen, Honor Swimmer, Denmark, 1964
Antonio Argüelles Díaz-González, Honor Swimmer, México, 2015
David Barra, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2017
Cameron Bellamy, Honor Swimmer, South Africa, 2020
Colleen Blair, MBE, Honor Swimmer, Great Britain, 2023
Karen Burton Reeder, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1999
Florence Chadwick, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1966
Kimberley Chambers, Honor Swimmer, New Zealand, 2019
David Stevens Clark, Honor Administrator, United States of America, 2004
Anne Cleveland, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2011
Cindy Cleveland, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2018
Marcia Cleveland, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2020
Juan "Johnny" José Cortiñas, Honor Swimmer, Cuba, 1967
***Baron Abílio Couto, Honor Swimmer, Brazil, 2001
Lynne Cox, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1982
Penny Lee Dean, EdD, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1980
Ned Denison, Honor Administrator, Ireland, 2012
Elizabeth Fry, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2014
Pat Gallant-Charette, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2019
Suzanne Heim-Bowen, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2024
Chad Hundeby, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1996
Dr. Vicki Keith, CM, Honor Swimmer, Canada, 2003
Jaime Lomelín Gavaldón, Honor Swimmer, México, 2023
Dr. Marcy MacDonald, DPM, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2005
Michelle Macy, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2019
Attila Mányoki, Honor Swimmer, Hungary, 2016
Chloë McCardel, Honor Swimmer, Australia, 2016
Sally Anne Minty-Gravett, MBE, Honor Swimmer, Great Britain, 2005
Jaimie Monahan, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2018
Rohan Dattatrey More, Honor Swimmer, India, 2018
Evan Morrison, Honor Administrator, United States of America, 2022
David Morgan, Honor Swimmer, Great Britain, 1983
Lynton Mortensen, Honor Swimmer, Australia, 2024
Kevin Murphy, Honor Swimmer, Great Britain, 1971
Forrest Nelson, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2015
Anna-Carin Nordin, Honor Swimmer, Sweden, 2018
Penny Palfrey, Honor Swimmer, Australia, 2009
Tom Park, Honor Swimmer, Canada, 1968
Courtney Moates Paulk, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2024
Dale Petranech, Honor Administrator, United States of America, 1995
James Pittar, Honor Swimmer, Australia, 2009
Stephen Redmond, Honor Swimmer, Ireland, 2017
Taranath Narayan Shenoy, Honor Swimmer, India, 1987
Dan Simonelli, Honor Coach, United States of America, 2024
Carol Sing, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2000
Petar Stoychev, Honor Swimmer, Bulgaria, 2008
Alison Streeter, MBE, Honor Swimmer, Great Britain, 1985
Henry Sullivan, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1968
Sarah Thomas, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 2018
Nora Toledano Cadena, Honor Swimmer, México, 2006
John York, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1989
George Young, Honor Swimmer, Canada, 1963
David Yudovin, Honor Swimmer, United States of America, 1999
Major Jason Zirganos, Honor Swimmer, Greece, 1971
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***This swim does not appear on the website list of success for IMSHOF Honor Organization Catalina Channel Swimming Federation (https://swimcatalina.org/swim-successes/). IMSHOF is trying to get the swim details to the organization to have them reviewed – as potentially missed when the historic records were first assembled.
Philip Rush did a training swim in 1982 which is reported in many places. It is agreed that this was never intended to be included on any official success lists.
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The list above covers the “normal” Catalina Channel crossings of 32.3 km. This is generally starting at Doctor’s cover on the island and landing anywhere on the California mainland or starting in the Point Vicente area and landing anywhere on the island.
During the 1984 First International Open Ocean Swim, the swimmers started from Isthmus Beach on the island with a forced finish on Cabrillo Beach on the mainland. Honoree John York (8 hours and 54 minutes) was followed by Honorees Alison Streeter, MBE and Davide Morgan plus three others. The shortest straight-line difference is 41.09 km.
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The first race, on January 15, 1927, started from Avalon on the island to the breakwater at Point Vicente on the mainland. The shortest straight-line difference is 35.4 km and Honoree George Young completed in 15 hours and 44.5 minutes. See original "after" race program below.