Chewing Up The Channel
In preparation for the Wrigley Ocean Marathon in January 1927, an eight-member relay team composed of the top California swimmers swam from Long Beach to Catalina Island, swimming legs of 30 minutes each. According to Dr. Penny Dean’s authoritative book, A History Of The Catalina Channel, the team crossed the Catalina Channel in 23 hours and 17 minutes in September 1926. With the vision of a wise promoter, William Wrigley thought the channel could be swum faster.
And it was – by George Young of Canada – who made the first successful Catalina Channel crossing in 15 hours and 44 minutes in January 1927.
Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Daily News of Open Water Swimming and founder of WOWSA. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010).
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