Courtesy of Lynn Kubasek, Catalina Channel, California.

54-year-old Jaime Lomelin Gavaldon is within minutes of becoming the latest swimmer to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

The Nora Toledano-coached, Dan Simonelli-guided Mexican started his Triple Crown journey in August 1990 and took 27 years to complete it with today’s Catalina Channel crossing. His Santa Catalina Island-to-mainland swim was warm – 11 hours 53 minutes in the Pacific Ocean that reached 72°F (22°C) in the water with air temperatures as high as 88°F (31°C).

The list of Triple Crown swimmers is here.

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