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World Marathon Swimming Records In The Pacific

The list below is a list of the marathon swimming records over 10 kilometers in the Pacific
Ocean, including Oceania – done without wetsuits and according to traditional English
Channel swimming rules. With over 70% of the Earth covered in water, the number of records
and locations to swim are numerous and potentially endless.

If you know of additional records or new records that have been set anywhere in the world,
please email the name of the world record holder, their country, date (month, day and year),
location, distance and official time to Open Water Source.

Hawaiian Island Channels (Hawaii, U.S.A.)

First Kaiwi (Molokai) Channel Crossing from Molokai to Oahu: Keo Nakama (USA), 1961 (26
miles)
First Kaiwi (Molokai) Channel Crossing from Oahu to Molokai: Harry Huffaker (USA), 1972
(26 miles)
First Female Kaiwi (Molokai) Channel Crossing from Oahu to Molokai: Robin Isayama (USA),
1994 (26 miles)
Fastest Kaiwi (Molokai) Channel Crossing from Oahu to Molokai: Chris Palfrey (Australia),
April 2010, 12:53 (26 miles)
First Auau Channel (Maui Channel) Crossing from Maui to Lanai: Jim Caldwell (USA), 1970
(9.6 miles)
First Female Auau Channel (Maui Channel) Crossing from Maui to Lanai: Judy Collins (USA),
1977 (9.6 miles)
First Auau Channel (Maui Channel) Crossing from Lanai to Maui: Doug Rice (USA), 1977 (9.6
miles)
First Double Auau Channel (Maui Channel) Crossing from Maui-Lanai-Maui: Peter Attia
(USA), 2008 (19.2 miles)
First Female Kalohi Channel Crossing from Lanai to Molokai: Jody Pollack (USA), 1978 10
miles)
First Male Kalohi Channel Crossing from Lanai to Molokai: Bob Justman (USA), 1978 (10
miles)
First Kalohi Channel Crossing from Molokai to Lanai: Harry Huffaker (USA), 1989 (10 miles)
First Alalakeiki Channel Crossing from Kahoolawe to Maui: Carl Kawauchi (USA), Ulrich
Klinke and Alton Motobu, 1992 (7.5 miles)
First Alalakeiki Channel Crossing from Maui to Kahoolawe: Mike Spalding (USA), (7.5 miles)

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First Alalakeiki Channel Crossing from Maui to Kahoolawe: Linda Kaiser (USA), 14 April 2001,
3:30 (7.5 miles)
First Pailolo Channel Crossing from Maui to Molokai: Jim Caldwell (USA), 1973 (11 miles)
First Female Pailolo Channel Crossing from Maui to Molokai: Linda Kaiser (USA), 30
November 1990, 4:47 (11 miles)
First Pailolo Channel Crossing from Molokai to Maui: Carl Kawauchi (USA) 1993
First Alenuihaha Channel Crossing from Hawaii to Maui: Harry Huffaker (USA), 1970
First Female Alenuihaha Channel Crossing from Hawaii to Maui: Penny Palfrey (Australia),
2009, 14:51
Fastest Alenuihaha Channel Crossing from Hawaii to Maui: Penny Palfrey (Australia), 2009,
14:51
First Kaulakahi Channel Relay Crossing from Kauai to Niihau: Linda Kaiser, Laurie Foster,
Mike Spalding and Tom Robinson (USA), 20 July 2003, 10:45 (17.5 miles)
First Kealaikahiki Channel Relay Crossing from Kahoolawe to Lanai: Linda Kaiser, Laurie
Foster and Mike Spalding (USA), 11 September 2005, 11:53 (18.5 miles)

Cook Strait (16 nautical miles between North and South Islands in New Zealand)
First Man: Barry Devonport (New Zealand), 1963, 11:20
First Woman: Lynne Cox (USA), 1975, 12:07
First Male Double Crossing: Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1984, 16:16
Fastest Male Double Crossing: Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1984, 16:16
First Female Double Crossing: Meda McKenzie (New Zealand), 1984, 23:06
Fastest Single Crossing: Casey Glover (New Zealand), 2008, 4:37
Fastest Crossing South Island – North Island: Denise Anderson (New Zealand), 1986, 5:04
Fastest Female Crossing North Island – South Island: Tammy van Wisse (Australia), 10
March 1999, 6:49
Oldest Female Crossing: 55-year-old Pamela Dickson (New Zealand), 2009, 9:23:10
Oldest Male Crossing: 53-year-old Scott Coleman (USA), 2007, 10:27:32
Youngest Female Crossing: 13-year-old Stephanie Bennington (New Zealand), 2007, 8:10:35
Youngest Male Crossing: 11-year-old Aditya Raut (India), 2005, 9:09

Lake Taupo (42K, New Zealand)

First Crossing: Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1985, 10:14
Fastest Crossing: Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1985, 10:14

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Fastest Double Crossing (84K): Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1985, 23:06
Oldest Female Crossing: 56-year-old Pamela Dickson (New Zealand), 18 February 2011,
13:56

Rottnest Channel (19.7K, Western Australia)

First Crossing: Gerd von Dincklage-Schulenburg (Australia), 24 January 1956, 9:45
First Female Crossing: Lesley Meaney (nee Cherriman) (Great Britain), 13 April 1969, 9:35
Fastest Male Crossing: Mark Saliba (Australia), 2000, 4:00:15
Fastest Female Crossing (to Natural Jetty): Tamara Bruce (Australia), 1993, 4:10.03
Fastest Female Crossing (to Thomson Bay): Bronwyn Whitehead (Australia), 2000, 4:25:53
Oldest Crossing: 76.99 year old Dieter Loeliger (Australia), 1996, 9:21.18
Oldest Female Crossing: 65.38 year old Carrol Wannell (Australi), 2009, 8:19.08
First Male Double Crossing: Peter Tanham (Australia), 1991, 14:08.05
First Female Double Crossing: Barbara Pellick (Australia), 1994, 12:06.12
Youngest Male Crossing: 13 year old V. Kutraleeshwaran (India), 1994, 5:49.56
Youngest Female Crossing: 13 year old Jessica Walker (Australia), 2003, 7:57.32
First Backstroke Crossing: Hamish Osborne (Australia), 2005, 7:22.20
First Breaststroke Crossing: Ian Wallace (Australia), 2001, 9:29.37
First Butterfly Crossing: Philip Martin (Australia), 2001, 9:45.07
Most Crossings by Male: 23 by Peter Tanham (Australia)
Most Crossings by Female: 23 by Barbara Pellick (Australia)

Fiji Swims (19K, Fiji)

Fastest Crossing from Viti Levu (main island) to Beachcomber Island: Michael Sheils
(Australia), 2010, 3:46

Sydney Heads (15K in Australia)

First Swim: Lewis Pugh (Great Britain), January 2006, 6:01

Green Island to Cairns (20 miles in Australia)

First Swim: Eddie Lovelock (Australia), November 1977, 8:33:10
Fastest Swim: Chris Palfrey (Australia), 14 November 2010, 7:54:53

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Cairns to Green Island (20 miles in Australia)

First Swim: Eddie Lovelock (Australia), 1 December 1978, 7:34

Tahiti to Moorea (10.7 miles in the South Pacific)

First Non-wetsuit, Non-fin Swim: Cedric Wane, 2009, 6:17
Fastest Swim: Nathaniel Waring (USA), 1 May 2010, 4:57 from the red channel marker at
Punaauia Pass on the red channel market at Vaiare Pass on Moorea on Tahiti’s west coast.

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