CCSF News – October 2012

2012 Season Wraps, Now It’s Time to Celebrate

Final Crossings Finished in Past Few Days — Banquet RSVPs are Due

The banquet is the primary event of the season where all the swimmers can gather, swap stories, and share their inspiration. We each take a different path to get across the Channel, and the CCSF hopes that your path eventually leads to the San Pedro Doubletree on Saturday November 3rd. The Awards Banquet Invitation is now posted to the homepage of the CCSF website. Advanced reservations are necessary and due on Monday, October 22. Please indicate if you’d like a table set aside for parties of 8 or more– eg, relay teams and their supporters.

Swimmers are encouraged to email Paula Selby a dozen photos of their Channel adventure to be included in the banquet media presentation. Also CCSF swimmers from earlier seasons can email photos to be included in the ]website gallery.

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Last Swim of Season is 196 Days After the First

2012 Season Started in April and Concluded Yesterday with Adam Walker

In the final month of the season, we’ve had swimmers from a broad geographical spectrum. California swimmers from the Bay Area joined forces to form the San Francisco Bay Dolphins. The 6-person relay almost equally shared in the burden—it was only the 6th member who swam “too fast” and finished about a quarter-hour before the 60-minute leg was complete. Final time = 11:45. Congratulations Dolphins.

 Just yesterday, Adam Walker of Great Britain made the crossing in a little more than 12-hours. Earlier this year, Adam was in Hawaii for the Molokai Channel. This time around, the water was much cooler — and was it ever foggy — but also more pleasant for a swimmer. Congratulations Adam on getting across another Channel.

 

Two Americans, who are rapidly checking Channels off their bucket list, were here to complete Catalina. Bridgette Hobart finished in 11:27. Douglas McConnell completed Catalina in 12:41. His blog may hint where he’s swimming next. Bridgette already has booked with a pilot for an early July 2013 English Channel attempt.

Two international swimmers in October got their third swim of the Triple Crown. South African native Roger Finch eclipsed the 10-hour mark. His support team captured a moment near the mainland with incredibly pleasant conditions and a remarkably happy swimmer who can’t conceal his huge grin.

 

Hungarian swimmer Gabor Molnar, by way of Ireland, made the most of his time in the States. After crushing the Channel in exactly 9-hours, he went off to celebrate in style. Many swimmers take a relaxing day. Others make an excursion to Disneyland. Gabor took a different route, slipped into Las Vegas, and got married. No joke. He sent photos to prove it. Congratulations Gabor, and to your lovely bride. We’re confident that she’s realized, by now, what exactly she’s gotten herself into.

 Finally, we’ll repeat the spectacular news that Grace Van der Byl (7:27) became the fastest swimmer to cross the Catalina Channel starting at the island. Only Penny Lee Dean’s time of 7:15 is faster. In an earlier newsletter we made a serious error. We attempted to identify the swimmers who’ve eclipse the 8-hour mark. You can count them on one hand, though we forgot John York among this elite group. As a teenager, John established the record for the fastest two-way crossing of Catalina (less than 17 hours). His initial leg was well under 8-hours – 7:41 to be exact. We apologize for the embarrassing omission. After all, John York is the Vice President of the CCSF and has been a member since its inception.

What we can now promise is that 4-out-of-the-5 fastest Catalina swimmers will be in attendance at the banquet.

 

2012 Season Wraps, Now It’s Time to Celebrate
Final Crossings Finished in Past Few Days — Banquet RSVPs are Due
The banquet is the primary event of the season where all the swimmers can
gather, swap stories, and share their inspiration. We each take a different path
to get across the Channel, and the CCSF hopes that your path eventually leads to
the [8]San Pedro Doubletree on Saturday November 3rd. The [9]Awards Banquet
Invitation is now posted to the homepage of the CCSF website. Advanced
reservations are necessary and due on Monday, October 22. Please indicate if
you’d like a table set aside for parties of 8 or more– eg, relay teams and
their supporters.

Swimmers are encouraged to [10]email Paula Selby a dozen photos of their Channel
adventure to be included in the banquet media presentation. Also CCSF swimmers
from earlier seasons can [11]email photos to be included in the [12]website
gallery.

[Please Note: The complete list of [13]solo swimmers and [14]relay teams
including the 2012 crossings will be posted shortly before the banquet. The
[15]CCSF records will be updated at that time, too]
___________________________________________________________________________

Last Swim of Season is 196 Days After the First
2012 Season Started in April and Concluded Yesterday with Adam Walker
In the final month of the season, we’ve had swimmers from a broad geographical
spectrum. California swimmers from the Bay Area joined forces to form the San
Francisco Bay Dolphins. The 6-person relay almost equally shared in the
burden—it was only the 6th member who swam “too fast” and finished about a
quarter-hour before the 60-minute leg was complete. Final time = 11:45.
Congratulations Dolphins.

Just yesterday, [16]Adam Walker of Great Britain made the crossing in a little
more than 12-hours. Earlier this year, Adam was in Hawaii for the Molokai
Channel. This time around, the water was much cooler — and was it ever foggy —
but also more pleasant for a swimmer. Congratulations Adam on getting across
another Channel.

Two Americans, who are rapidly checking Channels off their bucket list, were
here to complete Catalina. [17]Bridgette Hobart finished in 11:27. Douglas
McConnell completed Catalina in 12:41. His [18]blog may hint where he’s swimming
next. Bridgette already has booked with a pilot for an early July 2013 English
Channel attempt.

Two international swimmers in October got their third swim of the Triple Crown.
South African native Roger Finch eclipsed the 10-hour mark. His support team
[19]captured a moment near the mainland with incredibly pleasant conditions and
a remarkably happy swimmer who can’t conceal his huge grin.

Hungarian swimmer Gabor Molnar, by way of Ireland, made the most of his time in
the States. After crushing the Channel in exactly 9-hours, he went off to
celebrate in style. Many swimmers take a relaxing day. Others make an excursion
to Disneyland. Gabor took a different route, slipped into Las Vegas, and got
married. No joke. He sent photos to prove it. Congratulations Gabor, and to your
lovely bride. We’re confident that she’s realized, by now, what exactly she’s
gotten herself into.

Finally, we’ll repeat the spectacular news that [20]Grace Van der Byl (7:27)
became the fastest swimmer to cross the Catalina Channel starting at the island.
Only Penny Lee Dean’s time of 7:15 is faster. In an earlier newsletter we made a
serious error. We attempted to identify the swimmers who’ve eclipse the 8-hour
mark. You can count them on one hand, though we forgot John York among this
elite group. As a teenager, John established the record for the fastest two-way
crossing of Catalina (less than 17 hours). His initial leg was well under
8-hours – 7:41 to be exact. We apologize for the embarrassing omission. After
all, John York is the Vice President of the CCSF and has been a member since its
inception.

What we can now promise is that 4-out-of-the-5 fastest Catalina swimmers will be
in attendance at the banquet