CLASSIC SWIMS CATALINA CHANNEL
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
As part of the official ‘Triple Crown’ of marathon swimming, the Catalina Channel is an iconic crossing – and poses a very different challenge to the English Channel, writes Simon Murie
Along with the English Channel and Manhat an Island, the Catalina Channel forms part of the Triple Crown of Open
Water Swimming. Known offi cially as the San Pedro Channel, the Catalina Channel is a 21-mile strait that separates the Island of Catalina from Los Angeles on the US mainland. To understand the at raction of the Catalina Channel and how it as entered the psyche of the American swimmer – almost to the same degree as the English Channel has
to all swimmers worldwide – one needs to understand its origins as a swim. In 1919, William Wrigley Jr, the US chewing gum industrialist, bought a controlling stake in the Santa Catalina Island Company, and as a result took control of the island. In 1926, keen to increase tourist numbers to the island – and having heard of the fi rst crossing of the English Channel by the American Gertrude Ederle in the same year – Wrigley organised the ‘Wrigley Ocean Marathon' to help promote Catalina Island to an American audience. On
IN 2000 THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ONLY 5 ATTEMPTS IN ANY YEAR, BUT IN 2010 THERE WERE OVER 50 CROSSINGS
A map of the Catalina Channel, showing the swim lines taken by the four members of Swim 22, the successful 2010 Contiguous Solo Crossing Relay undertaken by Chris Dahowski, Mike Vovk, David Hartmire and Jen Schumacher
CATALINA CHANNEL ○ Water type: salt ○ Water temperature: 15-19°C ○ Issues: Unpredictable currents; varying water temperature; night swimming ○ Diffi culty ranking: ○ Iconic ranking:
For more information about swimming this channel, visit
swimcatalina.com
Photo © Brad Arshat 18
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