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Milestones

Solo Success

Catalina Solo Successes
#554  Barbara Lastelic 2019
#501 Hugo Zhang 2018
#493 Wendy Theders 2018
#407 Carol Hayden 2016
#331 Kelley Prebil 2015
#283 Peter Hayden 2013
#194 Natalie Merrow 2010
#193 Ray Meltvedt 2010
#176 Lynn Kubasek 2009
#161 Chris Roberts 2008
#101 Jim Fitzpatrick 2001
#94 Scott Zornig 1999
#61 Mike Suttle 1986
 
Lake Tahoe Solo Successes
Barbara Lastelic 2021
Jim Fitzpatrick 2011
Jim Fitzpatrick 2006

Manhattan Island Solo Successes
#1035 Lynn Kubasek 2018
#747 Jim Fitzpatrick 2012
#522 Scott Zornig 2002
 
English Channel Solo Successes
Jim Fitzpatrick 2005
 
Anacapa Island Solo Successes
# Brian Amernde 2023
#71  Barbara Lastelic 2018
#55 Russ Parker 2016
#43 Kelley Prebil 2014
#39 Carol Hayden 2014
#38 Julian Rusinek 2014
#37 Peter Hayden 2014
#35 Tanya MacLean 2013
#30 Fiona Goh 2012
#25 Cherie Edborg 2012
#21 Lynn Kubasek 2011
#4 Scott Zornig 2001

 

LBOWS Open Water Milestones (our Firsts, Records and history making moments)

June 26, 2021 – Natalie Merrow recorded a “first” when she circumnavigated the 4 islands in Long Beach Harbor for a total distance of 6.5 miles. Natalie completed the swim in a time of 3:40:35.

October 4, 2020 –Tom Hale, Brett Hillyard, Marc Horwitz, Mike Mitchell and Scott Zornig were part of a relay which completed the “first” relay swimming the entire 42 mile length of the Orange County coastline.

June 15, 2020 –Hannah Meyer set the “record” for the fastest female to complete the San Francisco Bay 3 Rocks 10K swim with a time of 3:03:30.

July 7, 2019 – Steve Sponagle became a USMS Open Water National Champion when he won the 60-64 Men`s division at the Portland Bridge Swim.

April 30, 2019 – Scott Zornig became the “first” person to circumnavigate all 5 islands located within Newport Harbor finishing the 8.6-mile swim in 4:08.

September 27, 2016 –  Carol Hayden bettered her own record becoming the “oldest” female at age 66, to complete a marathon swim from any California Channel Island when she swam from Catalina Island to mainland in a time of 15:02:41.

May 22, 2016 – Scott Zornig became the “first” person to swim down San Diego County’s Point Loma to Imperial Beach in 4:59:25.

September 17, 2015 – Peter Hayden became the “first” male to circumnavigate Santa Barbara Island completing the swim in a time of 3:20:59. Upon finishing the circumnavigation, Peter headed to Catalina became the “first” person to swim from Santa Barbara Island to Catalina.

September 1, 2015 – Natalie Merrow became the “first” person to circumnavigate Santa Barbara Island doing so in a time of 2:41:58.

September 9, 2014 – Carol Hayden became the “oldest” female at age 64, to complete a marathon swim from any California Channel Island when she swam from Anacapa Island to mainland in a time of 9:51:08.

September 3, 2014 – Peter Hayden accomplished something which has “never” been done in the California Channel Island history and maybe ever. Peter started the day by swimming around Anacapa Island (10 miles) in 5:41:15. He touched the island and then proceeded to swim from Anacapa to mainland (12.4 miles) in 6:59:06. The total time for Peter’s “lollipop” swim was 12:40:21.

August 2, 2014 – Julian Rusinek, Lynn Kubasek, Tanya MacLean, Scott Zornig and Cherie Edborg were part of a relay which completed the “first” Inter-Island relay and first swim between Santa Barbara Island and Catalina Island.

November 17, 2013 – Lynn Kubasek, Scott Zornig finished swimming around every salt water pier in the state of California which amounted to 73 piers in 93 days. Their adventures were chronicled in a book called “The Piers of the California Coast.”

September 9, 2013 – Tenacious Tanya MacLean tackled terrible, turbulent tides on this day, setting the record for the longest time to swim Anacapa Channel in 11:41:00.

October 19, 2013 – The documentary “Driven,” a movie which explores the sport of marathon swimming, premiered in Carpenteria, California staring LBOWS Cherie Edborg and Fiona Goh. Several scenes in the movie were shot in Laguna and many members of LBOWS had small parts in the film.

September 13, 2013 – Julian Rusinek did what many said was impossible when he became the “first” person to swim from San Miguel island to Santa Rosa Island in a time of 2:25:00.

August 31, 2013 – Lynn Kubasek bucked the currents and became the “first” person to swim from Santa Cruz Island to Anacapa in 5:08:25.

August 17-19, 2013 – Ray Meltvedt completed swimming around 27 piers ranging from Santa Barbara to San Diego finishing in less than 48 hours.

July 11-13, 2013 – Mike Mitchell was a member of a relay called FTD which recorded the longest relay (6 continuous crossings) to and from Catalina which he and his teammates completed in 61:29:07.

July 1, 2013 – Barbara Held, Roni Hibben, Marc Horwitz, Lynn Kubasek, Ray Meltvedt and Julian Rusinek became the “first” Mixed 50-59 relay team (“As Seen on TV”) to swim the Catalina Channel in a time of 9:38:42.

October 14, 2012 – Michael Trudeau, Tanya MacLean, Lynn Kubasek, Cherie Edborg, Lisa Nordholm, Julian Rusinek, Morgan Empey, Howard Burns, Marc Horwitz, Michael Kendall and Alan Baumgardner were part of 3 relays called Team Jessie, Team Augie and Team Coto which complete the “first” relays off Anacapa Island in a time of 7:17:15.

September 23, 2012 – Fiona Goh became the “youngest” female at the age of 13, to complete a solo swim from any California Channel Island to mainland when she swam from Anacapa Island to mainland in a time of 10:10:18.

July 25, 2012 – Mike Mitchell was a member of the HTC (Halfway to Cortez) relay which broke the “record” from San Clemente Island to mainland with a total time of 25:48:18.

June 23, 2012 – Jim Fitzpatrick became the 1st LBOWS and 51st swimmer overall to join the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming with his successful circumnavigation around Manhattan Island in New York City.

August 21, 2011 – Lynn Kubasek became the “oldest” female to complete a swim between Anacapa Island and mainland when she finished her 12.4 mile endeavor in 7:08:10.

June 4, 2011 – Lynn Kubasek was part of the Night Train relay which became the first all female team to swim from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate bridge completing the 26.4 nautical miles in 16:29:08.

October 1, 2008 – Jim Fitzpatrick became the “first” person to swim from Avalon, Catalina Island to Newport Beach Mainland in a time of 14:59:23.

October 7, 2007 – Scott Zornig became the “first” person to ever do a California Channel Inter-Island swim when he swam from Anacapa Island to Santa Cruz Island.

September 2, 2007 – Scott Zornig was member of a relay called “Full Circle” which set a record swimming circumnavigating Catalina Island which he and his teammates completed in 23:32:53.

July 20, 2002 –Jim Fitzpatrick, Mike Suttle, Scott Zornig and former LBOWS Craig Taylor and Brendan Halffman were part of a relay called “Swim for Hope” which recorded the “first” swim from San Clemente Island to San Clemente, California covering the 56 miles in 33:08:08.

October 10, 2001 – Scott Zornig set the “record” for the fastest solo marathon swim off of Anacapa Island with a time of 5:19:25. Scott’s swim was filmed by NBC which went on to win an Emmy Award for best produced sports documentary of 2001.

LBOWS Pool Milestones (our Firsts, Records and history making moments)

August 2022 – Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 65-69 100 LCM free, 200 LCM free, 400 LCM free, 100 SCY free, 200 SCY free.

August 2021 –
Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 65-69 100 LCM free, 200 LCM free, 100 SCM free, 200 SCM free.

August 2019
– Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 60-64 100 LCM free, 200 LCM free, 800 LCM free.

August 2017 – Veronica Hibben, World Champion, Women 60-64 100 LCM free, 200 LCM free.

April 2017 – Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 60-64 100 SCY IM, 100 SCY butterfly, 50 SCY butterfly, 100 SCY free, 50 SCY free.

August 2016 – Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 60-64 50 LCM free, 100 LCM free, 200 LCM free, 50 LCM free.

April 2016 – Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 55-59 165- SCY free, 400 SCY IM.

August 2014 – Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 55-59 50 LCM free, 100 LCM free, 200 LCM, 50 LCM butterfly, 100 LCM butterfly.

August 2014 – Veronica Hibben, World Champion, Women 55-59 100 LCM free.

May 2014 – Veronica Hibben, National Champion, Women 55-59 100 yd free, 1000 yd free, 50 yd butterfly.

February, 2014 – Lynn Kubasek set the 55-59 February Fitness Challenge record for most pool yards in a month with 460,100 yards.

February, 2009 – Lynn Kubasek set the 50-54 February Fitness Challenge record for most pool yards in a month with 633,600 yards.

February, 2008 – Lynn Kubasek set the 45-49 February Fitness Challenge record for most pool yards in a month with 422,577 yards.

February, 2000 – Jim Fitzpatrick set the men’s 45-49 February Fitness Challenge record for most pool yards in a month with 761,000 yards.

Full Ironman Successes

2023
Andrea Randall – Texas
Ardy Azadgan –  France Nice
Brian Amende – Texas

2022
Tom Roche – California
Brian Amende – California
Brian Amende – Alaska
Brian Amende – Utah
Ardy Azadgan – New Zealand

2021
Brian Amende – Arizona
Brian Amende – Tulsa

2019
Tom Roche – Arizona
Justin McMillen – Arizona
Ardy Azadgan –  France Nice
Brian Amende – Santa Rosa
Brian Amende – Kona

2018
Ardy Azadgan –  France Nice
Brian Amende – Korea

2017
Ardy Azadgan – Boulder
Brian Amende – Whistler, Canada

2016
Ardy Azadgan – Vineman
Brian Amende – Los Cabos
Brian Amende – Australia

2015
Fancisco Araujo – South Africa
Ardy Azadgan – Lake Tahoe
Brian Amende – Los Cabos
Brian Amende – Australia

2014
Ardy Azadgan –  Arizona
Brian Amende – Los Cabos
Brian Amende – Chattanooga

2013
Paul Yourick -Wisconsin
Ardy Azadgan – Lake Tahoe
Brian Amende – Lake Tahoe

2011
Brian Amende – Wisonsin

2010
Andrea Randall – Lake Placid
Brian Amende – Canada

2009
Brian Amende – Arizona
Brian Amende – Cour d’Alene

2007
Steve Sponagle – Arizona

2006
Andrea Randall – Kona
Andrea Randall – Canada
Paul Yourick – Arizona

2005 
Steve Sponagle – Florida

2003
Andrea Randall – Brazil

2002
Andrea Randall – Kona
Andrea Randall – Florida