Half Century Club Update In The Santa Barbara Channel
The Santa Barbara Channel Half Century Club, a group of open water swimmers over the age of 50 years who have successfully swum between one of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands or to the California mainland, is now revised and expanded. While it is still a relatively young organization with a brief history, of the 53 official solo swims governed by the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association, a remarkable 24.% (13 out of 53) of the swims have been successfully completed by the esteemed members of the Half Century Club:
The 11 veterans still have the right stuff, it is abundantly clear.
1. Jim McConica – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2008 (5:26 at age of 57) and 2012 (4:38 and 5:24 at age of 61)
2. Emilio Casanueva – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2008 (7:45 at age of 68)
3. Dave Van Mouwerik – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2010 (7:00 at age of 52)
4. Lynn Kubasek – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2011 (7:08 at age of 53)
5. Chris Palfrey – 6 miles (9.7 km) from Santa Rosa Island to Santa Cruz Island in 2008 (2:52 at age of 51)
6. Kevin Murphy – 24.8 miles (29.9 km) across the Santa Cruz Channel in 2007 (17:31 at age of 58)
7. Ashby Harper – 23.5 miles (37.8 km) across the Santa Cruz Channel in 1984 (16:24 at age of 67)
8. Peter Urrea – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2007 (8:15 at age of 67)
9. Chris Layton – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2011 (6:00 at age of 52)
10. Michael Hird – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2012 (5:48 at age of 50)
11. Tom Ball – 12.4 miles (19.9 km) across Anacapa Channel in 2012 (7:39 at age of 52)
Most of the members of the Half Century Club in Santa Barbara, swim between Anacapa Island and the California coast. At 12.4 miles (19.9 km), the Anacapa Channel is an excellent distance for swimmers – of any age – who are either building up to a longer channel swim or for those who do not want to face the battle or uncertainty of a 20-mile channel anymore.
Emilio Casanueva (shown above) is the founder of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association who accomplished his first solo channel crossing from Anacapa Island to the California in 7 hours 45 minutes in 2008 to become a member of the Santa Barbara Channel Half Century Club.
Copyright © 2012 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. 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), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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