Jaime Lomelín Gavaldón (61, Mexico, MSF bio here) swam 23 km across the Cook Strait in New Zealand for his fifth successful Oceans Seven channel crossing earlier this year.

En route to the Oceans Seven

• 35 km English Channel in 9 hours 50 minutes at the age of 27 in 1990
• 32.2 km Catalina Channel in 11 hours 53 minutes at the age of 54 in 2017
• 14.4 km Strait of Gibraltar in 3 hours 37 minutes at the age of 56 in 2019
• 45 km Molokai Channel in 13 hours 8 minutes at the age of 59 in 2022
• 23 km Cook Strait in 7+ hours at the age of 62 in 2025

Interestingly, he crossed the 32.3 km Catalina Channel significantly faster at the age of 58 in 9 hours 56 minutes on his second attempt (which was the fastest crossing by a Mexican swimmer in history) than he did four years earlier in 11 hours 53 minutes on his first attempt.

Lomelin was the first Mexican swimmer to achieve a Sub-10 Triple Crown – or completing all three swims of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming under 10 hours (English Channel + Catalina Channel + 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island).  

Bacalar Lagoon

Now, Lomelin is teaming up with fellow International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer Nora Toledano (55, Mexico, MSF bio here, @noratoledanoswim) to offer an open water swimming clinic in one of Mexico’s most idyllic locations: Bacalar Lagoon.

The lagoon is also known as the Lagoon of Seven Colors or Laguna de Bacalar in Spanish.

A 2 km wide freshwater lake in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, the lagoon is famous for its various hues of blue and turquoise clear water, caused by varying depths, minerals, and white sand bottoms with underwater rivers and springs. Sixty km long, it is one of the highlights in the state of Quintana Roo ear Mexico’s border with Belize. It is a short drive away from the Caribbean Sea, and is one of the world’s most stunningly beautiful open water swimming venues.

To participate in this 3-day clinic in a beautiful slice of paradise on January 23rd, 24th, and 25th 2026, call +(52) 81 8287-3210.

Note: Toledano completed her 13th overall career crossing of the Oceans Seven channels this July with an 11 hour 12 minute crossing of the English Channel. She was also the recipient of the 2025 Poseidon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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