Maui Nui Swim History

• Harry Huffaker (USA, MSF bio here) attempted the first Maui Nui Swim (originally called the 3 Islands Swim) in 1989. He made at least two legs of the three non-stop crossings between Maui, Moloka’i and Lāna’i in the state of Hawaii, but the weather and water conditions prevented him to complete his two attempts.
• Becca Mann (28, USA, MSF bio here, @becca__mann) completed the first 57.78 km Maui Nui Swim in August 2019 with Captain Michael Twigg-Smith, escort crew Steve Haumschild, Shelley Oates, Captain Mike Scott, feeder and mother Beth Mann:
  • 15.75 km Pailolo Channel crossing from Maui to Molokai started at 1:00 pm and finished at 5:01 pm
  • 26.50 km Kalohi Channel from Moloka’i to Lāna’i, started at 5:09 pm and finished at 3:20 am
  • 15.33 km ‘Au’au Channel from Lāna’i to Maui, started at 3:29 am and finished at 9:53 am
• Captains Andy Joca and Phil Kibby escorted Ted Lomicka (57, USA, MSF bio here, @brassmonkey703)) on his 23 hour 47 minute Maui Nui Swim in February 2026.
  • 15.33 km ‘Au’au Channel from the Old Club Lanai on Lāna’i to Ka’anapali Beach on Maui in 5 hours 54 minutes
  • 13.5 km Pailolo Channel from Ka’anapali Beach on Maui to Kamalo on Moloka’i in 9 hours 48 minutes
  • 14.9 km Kalohi Channel from Kamalo on Moloka’i to Shipwreck Beach on Lāna’i in 8 hours 0 minutes
• Today, Terri Dietz (55, USA, MSF bio here, @terri_dietz) completed history’s third successful Maui Nui Swim between the islands of Lana’i, Maui, and Moloka’i in a cumulative time of 25 hours 13 minutes with Captain Andy Joca and crew members Cameron Foucht, Meredith Graf, Zane Wright, Michele Moore, and Kate Macias.
  • 15.33 km ‘Au’au Channel from Club Lana’i to Ka’anapali Beach, Maui from 3:36 pm to 10:38 pm
  • 15.75 km Pailolo Channel from Ka’anapali Beach, Maui to Kamalo, Moloka’i from 10:41 pm to 9:16 am
  • 26.50 km Kalohi Channel from Kamalo, Moloka’i to Paopao Point, Lāna’i 9:23 am to 4:49 pm

Dietz said afterwards, “What an incredible opportunity of a swim. This was huge for me – and as always humbling. She gave me safe passage, but with gentle reminders along the way of what she can do. I had an amazing crew – cannot do any of this without the crew that stuck with me. And we did it. [But] in the last 1.2 miles to the finish, I looked at Katy and said, ‘I’m running on fumes.’ I put my head back down and mentally found the reserve gas tank. Captain Andy said it was incredible to see I actually got stronger swimming the last leg.

We had a dress rehearsal back at the beginning of August. Our boat is at Lahaina Harbor [on Maui] with the crew, everyone [onboard]. We are ready to load and go. [But then] the captain called the swim off. The wind is wrong and not going to settle, especially in Kalohi, which is known for it brutal wind. You could see the white caps from 12 miles away.

The second boat captain asked me, ‘How prepared are you? Are you in the best shape of your life?’

In that moment, I realized this was a gift of time to go back and poke holes in my training, mentally and physically. I even got a smaller channel in. I was given another three months to finish preparing.”

Prepare well, she did.

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