With the aquatic world so large with nearly limitless opportunities, world marathon swimming records and world open water swimming records are always being set around the globe. Every week, the fastest, the first, the oldest, the slowest, the most prolific in lakes, rivers, bays, oceans and channels are being recognized and are goals for swimmers to shoot for.

World records can be set as a solo swimmer, during a race, as a stage swim or with a group of friends.

Back in 1977, six men became the first individuals to swim across the Maui (Auau) Channel. Doug Rice (32), Steve Bobko (20), Gary Niemeyer (29), Richard Merritt (30), Bill Goding (23), Jim Roumasset and Archie Hapai (30) all swam together in that historic swim from the island of Lanai to the island of Maui in Hawaii.

“We decided it would be fun to [swim across the channel] as a group,” said Doug. Everyone had their own reasons. “I did it for some incentive, a change from the pool,” commented Steve. And it had its challenges as described by Richard, “They say the channel is nine miles the way the crow flies. Unfortunately, we weren’t crows. The way we did it, it must have been ten miles.”

Since 1977, now hundreds of solo swimmers have crossed the Maui Channel, following the wake of the pioneers in this part of the world.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source