Bob West is an American free diver and spear fisherman-turned-open water swimmer who is a member of the Half Century Club for his swim in the Catalina Channel at the age of 62 from Catalina Island to the California mainland in 15 hours 49 minutes in 1998. He is also a member of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and a recipient of the O’Clee Jubilee Cup from the Channel Swimming Association. He completed a swim across the Maui Channel on 27 August 1997 when he was 61 years old in 6 hours 20 minutes together with Janet Lamott and Kaeti Bailie.

West is a lifetime member of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation and a member of the La Jolla Cove Swim Club.

Open Water Swimming Career

• Catalina Channel relay with Dave Clark
• Del Mar Swim
• Seal Beach Rough Water Swim
• Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 9 hours 46 minutes on 9 August 1989
• Catalina Channel on 3 August 1991 in 16 hours 15 minutes at the age of 55 (John Pittman, escort pilot)
• English Channel on 9 August 1996 in 15 hours 35 minutes at the age of 60 (Reg Brickell, escort pilot)
• 12-mile around Coronado Island
• 8.5-mile Catalina Swim
• Capitola to Santa Cruz 6-mile swim
• North Channel relay from Scotland to Northern Ireland in 13 hours
• circumnavigation swim around Catalina Island in 26+ hours
• Blue Grotto on Capri to Eschia Island, across the bay of Naples
• Point Loma Lighthouse to the Mexican Coronado Islands relay
• Strait of Haro relay near Vancouver British Columbia in 49ºF (9.5ºC) water
• Maui Channel crossing with Carol Sing
• Maui Channel crossing with Janet Lamott and Kaeti Bailie



Catalina Channel Half Century Club

West is a member of the Catalina Channel Half Century Club, a group of open water swimmers who have successfully crossed the Catalina Channel over the age of 50 years.

1. Jim Clifford (USA), 62 years 11 months, CM in 9:49 on 28 September 2014

2. Bob West (USA), 62, CM in 15:49 in 1998

3. Gary Greenwood (USA), 62, CM in 13:08 in 2004

4. Pat Gallant-Charette (USA), 60, CM in 14:11 in 2011

5. Mo Siegel (USA), 60, CM in 13:08 in 2011

6. Scott Lautman (USA), 60 CM in 12:09 in 2013

7. Bob Needham (USA), 58, CM in 13:10 in 2011

8. Tom Hecker (USA), 57, CM in 10:45 in 2009

9. Richard Knepper (USA), 56, MC in 11:56 in 2005

10. Barbara Held (USA), 56, CM in 9:36 in 2010

11. Mark Smitherman (USA), 56, CM in 11:52 in 2014

12. Carol Sing (USA), 55, CM in 10:38 in 1997

13. Bill Hoehn (USA), 55, CM in 12:57 in 2005

14. Kevin Murphy (Great Britain), 54, CM in 15:23 in 2003

15. Roger Finch (South Africa), 54, CM in 9:45:02 in 2012

16. Dave Van Mouwerik (USA), 54,, CM in 12:09:07 in 2012

17. Ned Denison (Ireland), 54, CM 8:50:04 in 2012

18. Peter Tanham (Australia), 54, CM in 10:07 in 2014

19. Anthony McCarley (USA), 54, CM in 13:00.3 in 2014

20. Nick Almos-Lau (Mexico), 53, CM in 12:40 in 1999

21. James Fitzpatrick (USA), 53, CM in 14:59 in 2008 (to Newport Beach)

22. Jim McConica (USA), 53, CM in 10:19 in 2004

23. Douglas McConnell (USA), 53, CM in 12:41:13 in 2012

24. David Cooper (USA), 52, CM in 13:19 in 2005

25. Dan Richards (USA), 52, CM in 10:10 2008

26. Chris Burke (USA), 52, CM in 11:22 in 2014

27. Alan Bell (USA), 51, CM in 9:28 in 2001

28. Chris Palfrey (Australia), 51, CM in 10:30 in 2009

29. Lynn Kubasek (USA), 51, CM in 15:53 in 2009

30. Daniel Robinson (USA), 51, CM in 9:57 in 2008

31. Ron Collins (USA), 51, CM in 10:05 on 10 September 2013

32. Antonio Argüelles (Mexico), 50, CM in 10:25 in 2009

33. William Newbern (USA), 50, CM in 12:48 in 2005

34. Ray Meltvedt (USA), 50, CM in 15:25 in 2010

35. Suzie Dods (USA), 50, MC in 18:36 in 2010

36. Dale Petranech (USA), 50, CM in 13:28 in 1985

37. John Hill (USA), 50, CM in 19:15 in 1985

38. Frank Reynolds (USA), 50, CM in 10:34 in 1987

39. Jim Barber (USA), 50, CM in 8:43 in 2010

40. Sue Free (USA), 50, CM in 11:23 in 2012

41. Bridgette Hobart Janeczko (USA), 50, CM 11:27:16 in 2012

42. Hendrik Meerman (USA), CM, 50, 12:48:30 in 2012

43. Scott Tapley (USA), MC, 50, 17:43:12 in 2014