Overdue Recognition for SoCal Locals at WOWSA Ocean Fest
Focused And Channeling Swiftness
Courtesy of WOWSA, Catalina Channel, California.The swimmers of the Long Beach Swim Focus relay were recognized by Guinness World Records for their record-setting 32.3 km Catalina Channel crossing on October 7th 2011 at the WOWSA Ocean Fest in Redondo Beach, California this weekend.
Dr. Lyle Nalli recalled the evening, “It turned out to a magical night. But in the beginning, it was just a mess of sloshing waves hitting us from all kinds of directions. But two hours out, Hank [Wise] and Matty [Mitchell] let us know that we may be onto something big – they meant, the fastest crossing ever. And, as they predicted so well, the rough water sea transformed itself to a smooth, calm, peaceful lake.”
Escorted by captain Greg Wise on El Goofy with the support of paddlers Benjamin Landis and Matt Landis, Hank Wise, Lyle Nalli, Ted Bramble, Matty Mitchell, Parks Wesson and Lexie Kelly with pace swimmer Samantha Sears continued to churn in the turgid-turned-tranquil Pacific Ocean and crossed in 6 hours 53 minutes, landing on Catalina Island on the morning of October 8th. It was and remains the fastest crossing on record.
The relay swim raised money for the charity – the Habitat for Humanity.
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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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