There is arguably no place on Planet Earth where there is so much synergy and overlap between competitive pool swimming, open water swimming, masters swimming, and channel swimming as in the state of Hawai’i.
Under the current direction of president Alton Motobu, the Hawai’i Swimming Hall of Fame honors athletes, coaches, and contributors in several categories: Competitive, Open Water (Ocean), Channel, Masters, and Synchronized.
Inductees in each category are required to be of good moral character, has participated in the sport for a long enough time to have developed a full resume of accomplishments, is a contributing member of his/her community, and was born or lived in Hawai’i for at least five years.
The Open Water Swimming category is for organized ocean and open water swimming, including the major Hawaiian ocean swim races and major national and international ocean or open water swim races.
The Channel Swimming category is for organized ocean swimming across one of the nine Hawaiian Island channels and out-of-state lake, river, ocean strait crossings certified by a major organization.
Stefan Reinke was among the most recent class of inductees (Class of 2021). A collegiate 400 IM specialist has competed in 20 Waikiki Roughwater Swims, 9 Double Roughwater swims, won his age group 6 times in the North Shore Swim Series, and regularly competes in the SCAR Swim in Arizona. He has made 15 channel crossings in Hawaii since 2014 and was named Male Swimmer of the Year by Waikiki Swim Club in 2014. He is current president of the Waikiki Roughwater Swim Committee, past president of Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, and has served as race director for numerous races throughout Oahu. He is a practicing attorney in Hawaii and a lecturer at the Richardson School of Law.
John Flanagan is a Class of 2005 inductee. A three-time winner of the 7 km Hawaiian Christmas Looong Distance Invitational Rough-H2O Swims in 1998, 1999 and 2000, he won the highly competitive Waikiki Roughwater Swim twice, in 2000 and 2001 – as did his daughter Kaimakana in 2022 (young woman in the middle in the photo below) who swam on his team, the Kamehameha Swim Club on Oahu, Hawaii.
Overseas, he went on to finish 4th and 10th in the 10 km and 5 km races respectively at the 2001 FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. In addition to the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame in the Class of 2005, Flanagan was also inducted in his high school (Punahou) Hall of Fame.
Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame Inductees:
- John Parks, Competitive Swimmer, 2021
- Kathy Shipman, Competitive Swimmer, 2021
- Barry Yap, Competitive Swimmer, 2021
- Jim Budde, Ocean Swimmer, 2021
- Stefan Reinke, Channel Swimmer, 2021
- Jeff Stabile, Diver, 2021
- Alan C. Hong, Ocean Safety, 2021
- Blake Marr, Coach, 2021
- Jeff Meister, Coach, 2021
- Marcelle Arakaki, Contributor, 2021
- Sam Aucoin, Contributor, 2021
- Chris Gardner, Contributor, 2021
- Orlando Anaya, Coach, 2018
- Jim Anderson, Contributor, 2005
- Keith Arakaki, Coach & Contributor, 2015
- Robin Backhaus, Competitive Swimmer, 2005
- Shari Baird, Water Polo, 2005
- Jose Balmores, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Betty Ann Barnett, Masters Swimmer, Open Water Swimmer, 2008
- Brent Berk, Competitive Swimmer, 2003
- Matt Biondi, Competitive Swimmer, 2012
- Steve Borowski, Masters Swimmer, 2005
- Brandon Brooks, Water Polo, 2015
- Michael Brown, Coach, 2015
- James Caldwell, Channel Swimmer, 2008
- George ‘Dad’ Center, Coach, 2002
- Aaron Chaney, Water Polo, 2012
- Harvey Chilton, Coach, 2015
- Kaili Chun, Open Water Swimmer, 2005
- Bruce Clark, Masters Swimmer, 2005
- John Clark, Contributor, 2015
- Richard Cleveland, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Maureen Cole, Water Polo, 2015
- Malcolm Cooper, Contributor, 2012
- Charlotte, Costello, Masters Swimmer, 2003
- Clarence ‘Buster’ Crabbe, Competitive Swimmer,2002
- Chris Duplanty, Water Polo, 2005
- Charles Dwight III, Contributor, 2008
- Spencer Eldred, Masters Swimmer, 2008
- Sui Lan Ellsworth, Contributor, 2018
- John Flanagan, Open Water Swimmer, 2005
- June Ford, Masters Swimmer & Open Water Swimmer, 2012
- Ellen Fullard Leo, Contributor, 2002
- J.K. Gilman, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- William ‘Bill’ Goding, Channel Swimmer, 2015 [shown below]
- Ralph Goto, Contributor (Ocean Safety) 2015
- Jane Hale, Contributor, 2008
- Ralph Hale, Contributor, 2008
- Bill Harris, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Fred Haywood, Competitive Swimmer, 2008
- Fray Heath, Competitive Swimmer, 2015
- Rick Heltzel, Open Water Swimmer, 2012
- Mitsuko ‘Misty’ Higuchi, Competitive Swimmer, 2005
- Halo Hirose, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Ivanelle Hoe, Competitive Swimmer, 2008
- Ronald Honda, Competitive Swimmer, 2015
- Harry Huffaker, Open Water & Channel Swimmer, 2002
- Robin Isayama, Channel Swimmer, 2005
- Leigh Josephson, Water Polo, 2002
- Duke Kahanamoku, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Sam Kahanamoku, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Fred Kahele, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Linda Kaiser, Channel Swimmer, 2008 [shown below]
- George Kane, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Fujiko Katsutani, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Edward Kawachika, Coach, 2005
- Charles ‘Sparky’ Kawamoto, Coach, 2002
- Evelyn Kawamoto, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Carl Kawauchi, Channel Swimmer, 2005
- Pua Kealoha, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Sean Kern, Water Polo, 2008
- William ‘Bill’ Kirschbaum, Competitive Swimmer, 2018
- Ulrich Klinke, Ocean Swimmer, 2018
- Herbert Kobayashi, Competitive Swimmer, 2008
- Ford Konno, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Thelma Kalama, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Danny Kaleikini, Contributor, 2012
- Warren Kealoha, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Harold Kruger, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Manuella Kalili, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Maiola Kalili, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Catherin Kleinschmidt, Competitive Swimmer, 2018
- Ludy Langer, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Miriam Rieu, Contributor, 2002
- Brian Lee, Coach, 2015
- Ernest Leskovitz, Masters Swimmer, 2005
- Joe Lileikis, Masters Swimmer, 2005
- Henry Lunning, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Harry Mamizuka, Coach, 2008
- Morris ‘Mo’, Matthews, Open Water & Channel Swimmer, 2003
- Heidi McElhaney, Water Polo, 2003
- Jerry Miki, Competitive Swimmer, 2008
- Mike Miller, Channel Swimmer, 2015 [shown below]
- Albert Minn, Coach, 2002
- Chieko ‘Chic’ Miyamoto, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Helen Moses, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Alton Motobu, Contributor, 2018
- Julia Murakami (Woolsey), Competitive Swimmer, 2012
- Bunmei Nakama, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Keo Nakama, Competitive Swimmer, Open Water & Channel Swimming, 2002
- Wally Nakamoto, Coach, 2003
- Ken Nakasone, Competitive Swimmer, 2005
- WIlliam Neunzig, Competitive Swimmer, 2018
- John Nielsen, Water Polo, 2005
- Susan Nishioka, Water Polo, 2005
- Charles Oda, Competitive Swimmer, 2018
- Pete Okumoto, Masters Swimmer, 2003
- George Onekea, Competitive Swimmer, 2003
- Joan Osborne, Masters Swimmer, 2003
- Lloyd Osborne, Masters Swimmer, 2008
- Larry Oshiro, Coach, 2015
- Keala O’Sullivan, Diver, 2002
- Yoshi Oyakawa, Competitive Swimmer, 2003
- Shigeru Pabilla, Ocean Swimmer, 2018
- William ‘Opelu’ Pai, Channel Swimmer, 2002
- Brett Phillips, Masters Swimmer, Open Water Swimmer 2012
- Karlyn Pipes, Masters Swimmer, 2018
- Pete Powilson, Masters Swimmer, 2003
- Charles Pung, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Bob Ramsey, Competitive Swimmer, Water Polo, 2015
- Allen B. Richardson, Contributor, 2015
- Aileen Riggin-Soule, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Anita Rossing, Diver, 2018
- Dennis Rowe, Masters Diver, 2018
- Joanne Marie Royer (Medeiros) Synchronized Swimmer, 2015
- Yoshito Sagawa, Coach, 2002
- Soichi Sakamoto, Coach, 2002
- Willem Sakovich, Coach, 2018
- Mary Ann Sears Midiff, Contributor, 2015
- Harold Sexton, Masters Swimmer, 2002
- Cappy Sheely, Masters Swimmer, 2008
- Spencer Shiraishi, Coach, 2012
- Bill Smith, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Ken Smith, Water Polo, 2002
- Michael Spalding, Channel Swimmer, 2008
- Allen Stack, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Paul Stader, Open Water Swimmer, 2012
- Diane Stowell, Open Water & Channel Swimmer, Masters Swimmer, 2003
- Ken Suenaga, Coach, 2012
- Mark K. Takai, Contributor, 2018
- Nadine Takai (Day), Masters Swimmer, 2012
- Toyoko Takeyama, Competitive Swimmer, 2012
- Sonny Tanabe, Competitive Swimmer, 2003
- Jimmy Tanaka, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Fred Tester, Coach, 2015
- Fred Trask, Open Water & Channel Swimmer, 2003
- Robert Via, Water Safety Contributor, 2018
- Ken Walsh, Competitive Swimmer, 2018
- Lillian ‘Pokey’ Watson, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Mariechen Wehselau, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Jim Welch, Masters Swimmer, 2002, Open Water & Channel Swimmer, 2003
- Chris Woo, Competitive Swimmer, 2005
- Bill Woolsey, Competitive Swimmer, 2002
- Hiroshi Yamauchi, Contributor, 2008
- Richard You, Contributor, 2002
- Zachary Zorn, Competitive Swimmer, 2012
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