Back to Main Records Page
Misc. Records & Facts
- Youngest person to complete a swim in the Channel Islands: Kaustubh Vemuri, who swam from Anacapa to the mainland in 2007, when he was 10 years old.
- Youngest female to complete a swim in the Channel Islands: Fiona Goh, who swam from Anacapa to the mainland in 2012, when she was 13 years old.
- Oldest person to complete a swim in the Channel Islands: Emilio Casanueva, who swam from Anacapa to the mainland in 2008, when he was 68 years old.
- First swim from a Channel Island other than Catalina: Cindy Cleveland, who did an Anacapa two-way in 1978.
- First swim attempt from any California Channel Island: Zane Steenrod on August 23, 1926. He attempted to swim from Santa Cruz Island to Santa Barbara, and quit after five hours in the water.
- Longest unsuccessful swim attempt in the Channel Islands: Paul Chotteau's 44 hour, 41 minute swim from Santa Barbara Island in 1938, which ended an estimated 4.5 miles from Malibu pier.
- First male to complete a swim in the Channel Islands other than Catalina: David Yudovin, from Anacapa to the mainland in 1982.
- Most solo swims from any single Channel Island: Jim Neitz, who has swum from Anacapa to the mainland four times - in 2009, twice in 2011, and in 2012.
- Longest solo ocean swim in California: Tina Neill, who swam 52 miles from San Clemente Island to the mainland in 2012.
- Shortest-held record in the Channel Islands: Nicholas Vargas' Anacapa record on September 9, 2012 (4:58), which was broken 23 days later by Jim McConica (4:38).
- No one has ever completed a solo or relay swim off of San Nicolas Island which is 60 miles off the Southern California coastline. In 2007, a relay of 6 men motored all the way to San Nicolas with the goal of swimming all the way back to the mainland. After arriving, they decided it was un-swimmable and elected to swim around Catalina Island instead.