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Summer Swimming In The Channel Islands

Scott Zorning, president of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association, announced 26 channel swim attempts between the Channel Islands and the coast of Southern California during the 2012 summer season.

Most of the swims are from the small volcanic island, Anacapa, that lies about 11 miles from the California, while a few of the marathon swims will challenge the longer channels from San Miguel Island and Santa Cruz Island.

The Anacapa Island channel swimmers include Cherie Edborg (USA), Nidhi Shelar (India), Jim Neitz (USA), Nicholas Vargas (USA), John Chung (USA), Thomas Ball (USA), and Cesar Barria (Panama). Additionally, Jim McConica (USA) will be swimming on October 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th in a special 7-day, 7-time challenge in the Anacapa Island channel.

San Miguel Island is 25.9 miles (41.6 km) off the coast. This swim has been conquered only once by Penny Palfrey in 2008 in 11 hours 29 minutes. Walter Bean Scott will attempt this swim on September 21st.

Santa Rosa Island is 27.5 miles (44.2 km) off the coast. This swim has been conquered only once by Marc Lewis in 2008 in 15 hours 46 minutes. On August 19th, Santosh Patil of India will set off on an inter-island swim from Santa Cruz Island to Santa Rosa Island.

Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands, has two different swim routes: 19 miles (30.5 km) from San Pedro Point to Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard, or 23.5 miles (37.8 km) from Fry’s Harbor to Leadbetter Point in Santa Barbara. The Oxnard route was first conquered by David Yudovin (15 hours 15 minutes in 1983) with the record held by Ned Denison (10 hours 27 minutes in 2006). The Santa Barbara route was first conquered by Ashby Harper (16 hours 24 minutes in 1984) with the record held by Rendy Lynn Opdycke (10 hours 51 minutes in 2007). Lynn Kubasek will attempt her swim on September 9th (shown above in the green swim cap).

Times have never been busier in the Channel Islands.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source

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