Swimming Across The Channel of Bones
In 2021 even with all the various travel restrictions due to COVID-19, John Batchelder, Dmitry Petrov, Bárbara Hernández Huerta, Andrey Bozhko, Edie Markovich, and Sarah Thomas traveled to Hawaii and were able to complete tough 42 km crossings of the Molokai Channel between the islands of Molokai and Oahu.
Bill Goding, who crossed the Channel of Bones himself in 2006, briefly describes the three different associations that recognize, educate, and support solo swims across the Molokai Channel:
- Hawaii Channel Association is run by Carl Kawauchi and Keith Arakaki. See here for its list of swimmers for all channels in the State of Hawaii.
- Molokai Channel Swimmers Association was founded by Linda Kaiser and Bill Goding. It is a rich informational resource that works with three escort pilots: Matt Buckman, Ivan Shigaki, and Michael Twigg-Smith. See here for more information.
- Kaiwi Channel Association is run by Steve Haumschild and Jeff Kozlovich [shown below with Antonio Argüelles after a 23 hour 18 minute crossing] with Michael Twigg-Smith as its escort boat pilot. See here for more information.
Molokai Channel Swimmers to date:
- John Batchelder, 14 hours 11 minutes in September 2021
- Dmitry Petrov, 21 hours 20 minutes in June 2021
- Bárbara Hernández Huerta, 15 hours 41 minutes in May 2021
- Andrey Bozhko, 21 hours 37 minutes in April 2021
- Edie Markovich, 14 hours 27 minutes in April 2021
- Sarah Thomas, 12 hours 39 minutes in February 2021
- Steven Minaglia, 22 hours 2 minutes in November 2020
- Debbie Merwick, 22 hours 31 minutes in November 2020
- Christian Jongeneel, 17 hours 29 minutes in September 2019
- Florin Tomos, 14 hours 56 minutes in August 2019
- Paul Feltoe, 13 hours 25 minutes in July 2019
- Paul Georgescu, 13 hours 6 minutes in April 2019
- John Zemaitis, 17 hours 51 minutes in October 2018 (tandem swim with Joseph Zemaitis)
- Joseph Zemaitis, 17 hours 51 minutes in October 2018 (tandem swim with John Zemaitis)
- Dina Levačić, 13 hours 7 minutes in August 2018
- Jonathan Ratcliffe, 14 hours 9 minutes in August 2018
- Lynton Mortensen, 14 hours 49 minutes in July 2018
- Mark Tan, 15 hours 19 minutes in July 2018
- Anna Strachan, 15 hours 11 minutes in June 2018
- Dean Summers, 20 hours 12 minutes in April 2018
- Ryan Leong, 19 hours 43 minutes in September 2017 (tandem swim with Stefan Reinke)
- Stefan Reinke, 19 hours 43 minutes in September 2017 (tandem swim with Ryan Leong)
- Toni Enderli, 20 hours 35 minutes in September 2017
- Sarah Jane Ferguson, 17 hours 54 minutes in July 2017
- Mariel Hawley Dávila, 14 hours 28 minutes in July 2017 (tandem swim with Nora Toledano)
- Nora Toledano, 14 hours 28 minutes in July 2017 (tandem swim with Mariel Hawley Dávila)
- Prabhat Koli, 17 hours 22 minutes in June 2017
- Pat Gallant-Charette, 23 hours 54 minutes in May 2017
- Abhejali Bernardová, 21 hours 52 minutes in March 2017
- Steve Walker, 17 hours 52 minutes in February 2017
- Cameron Bellamy, 17 hours 1 minutes in February 2017
- Jorge Crivilles Villanueva, 17 hours 54 minutes in August 2016
- Ion Lazarenco, 18 hours 11 minutes in October 2016
- Steve Junk, 13 hours 50 minutes in October 2016
- Tom Hackett, 14 hours 53 minutes in September 2016
- Adrian Sarchet, 17 hours 24 minutes in July 2016
- Tom Pembroke, 15 hours 27 minutes in June 2016
- Marcy MacDonald,17 hours 27 minutes in April 2016
- Beth French, 17 hours 59 minutes in December 2016
- Liz Fry, 17 hours 27 minutes in April 2016
- Antonio Argüelles, 23 hours 18 minutes in March 2016
- Attila Mányoki, 12 hours 2 minutes in September 2015
- André Wiersig, 18 hours 26 minutes in September 2015
- Rohan More, 17 hours 28 minutes in October 2014
- Cameron Keith, 13 hours 55 minutes in September 2014
- Jim Barber, 14 hours 42 minutes in October 2014 ([[tandem swim with Victoria Rian)
- Victoria Rian, 14 hours 42 minutes in October 2014 (tandem swim with Jim Barber)
- Yesenia Cabrera Fuegos, 16 hours 50 minutes in September 2014
- Katie Benoit, 18 hours 0 minutes in October 2013
- Leahi Camacho, 14 hours 43 minutes in August 2013
- Beth French, 24 hours 10 minutes in December 2012
- Kimberley Chambers, 19 hours 27 minutes in November 2012
- Kathleen Wilson, 20 hours 49 minutes in September 2012
- Oliver Wilkinson, 13 hours 5 minutes in October 2012
- Michael Ventre, 22 hours 30 minutes in August 2012
- Adam Walker, 17 hours 1 minute in June 2012
- Stephen Redmond, 22 hours 30 minutes in February 2012
- Penny Palfrey, 12 hours 7 minutes in February 2011
- Darren Miller, 12 hours 12 minutes in October 2011
- Michelle Macy, 14 hours 12 minutes in October 2011
- Anna-Carin Nordin, 18 hours 22 minutes in November 2011
- Forrest Nelson, 17 hours 17 minutes in September 2011 (tandem swim with Tina Neill)
- Tina Neill, 17 hours 17 minutes in September 2011 (tandem swim with Forrest Nelson)
- Samantha Simon, 13 hours 41 minutes in September 2011
- Chris Palfrey, 12 hours 53 minutes in July 2010
- Mackenzie Miller, 14 hours 52 minutes in April 2009
- Mike Spalding, 15 hours 15 minutes in September 2007
- Kelly Gleason, 15 hours 15 minutes in September 2007
- Linda Kaiser, 15 hours 0 minutes in September 2007
- Forrest Nelson, 15 hours 55 minutes in September 2006
- Bill Goding, 15 hours 55 minutes in September 2006
- Forrest Nelson, 16 hours 36 minutes in September 2006 (from Oahu to Molokai)
- Robin Isayama, 15 hours 21 minutes in March 1994 (first female)
- Michael Miller, 16 hours 50 minutes in September 1979 ([[tandem swim with Ian Emberson)
- Ian Emberson, 16 hours 50 minutes in September 1979 ([[tandem swim with Michael Miller)
- Jonathan Ezer, 13 hours 4 minutes in May 1974
- Harry Huffaker, 16 hours 15 minutes in September 1972 (first from Oahu to Molokai)
- Harry Huffaker, 13 hours 35 minutes in September 1967
- Keo Nakama, 15 hours 30 minutes in September 1961
- Bill Pai, 1939 (uncertified crossing: rowed out to sea off Molokai to begin swim)
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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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