James Fitzpatrick

From Openwaterpedia

James Fitzpatrick is an American open water swimmer from Laguna Niguel, California. A member of the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association, he is the one of the oldest successful swimmers of the English Channel. As a member of the Half Century Club, the 50-year-old crossed from England and France in 14 hours 32 minutes in 2005. He completed the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on 23 June 2012 and the Catalina Channel on 1 October 2008 in 14 hours 59 minutes to become the 51st person to join the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Fitzpatrick was an All-American high school swimmer from San Jose, California who also played water polo for UCLA from 1973-1978. He was swam 761,000 yards or 432 miles in 29 days in 2000. In 2002, he was a member of a relay which recorded the first swim (60 miles) from San Clemente Island to San Clemente. He and was the first person to swim from Catalina Island to Orange County in 2008. Jim has completed fresh water swims across Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho and Lake Tahoe in California.

Catalina Channel Half Century Club

1. Bob West (USA), 62, CM in 15:49 in 1998
2. Gary Greenwood (USA), 62, CM in 13:08 in 2004
3. Pat Gallant-Charette (USA), 60, CM in 14:11 in 2011
4. Mo Siegel (USA), 60, CM in 13:08 in 2011
5. Bob Needham (USA), 58, CM in 13:10 in 2011
6. Tom Hecker (USA), 57 in 10:45 in 2009
7. Richard Knepper (USA), 56, MC in 11:56 in 2005
8. Barbara Held (USA), 56, CM in 9:36 in 2010
9. Carol Sing (USA), 55, CM in 10:38 in 1997
10. Bill Hoehn (USA), 55, CM in 12:57 in 2005
11. Kevin Murphy (Great Britain), 54, CM in 15:23 in 2003
12. Roger Finch (South Africa), 54, CM, 9:45:02 in 2012
13. Dave Van Mouwerik (USA), 54,, CM, 12:09:07
14. Ned Denison (Ireland), 54, CM, 8:50:04 in 2012
15. Nick Almos-Lau (Mexico), 53, CM in 12:40 in 1999
16. James Fitzpatrick (USA), 53, CM in 14:59 in 2008 (to Newport Beach)
17. Jim McConica (USA), 53, CM in 10:19 in 2004
18. Douglas McConnell (USA), CM, 12:41:13 in 2012
19. David Cooper (USA), 52, CM in 13:19 in 2005
20. Dan Richards (USA), 52, CM in 10:10 2008
21. Alan Bell (USA), 51, CM in 9:28 in 2001
22. Chris Palfrey (Australia), 51, CM in 10:30 in 2009
23. Lynn Kubasek (USA), 51, CM in 15:53 in 2009
24. Daniel Robinson (USA), 51, CM in 9:57 in 2008
25. Antonio Argüelles (Mexico), 50, CM in 10:25 in 2009
26. William Newbern (USA), 50, CM in 12:48 in 2005
27. Ray Meltvedt (USA), 50, CM in 15:25 in 2010
28. Suzie Dods (USA), 50, MC in 18:36 in 2010
29. Dale Petranech (USA), 50, CM in 13:28 in 1985
30. John Hill (USA), 50, CM in 19:15 in 1985
31. Frank Reynolds (USA), 50, CM in 10:34 in 1987
32. Jim Barber (USA), 50, CM in 8:43 in 2010
33. Sue Free (USA), 50, CM, 11:23 in 2012
34. Bridgette Hobart Janeczko (USA), 50, CM 11:27:16 in 2012
35. Hendrik Meerman (USA), CM, 50, 12:48:30 in 2012

External links

• The Oldest Men and Women in the Sea
• Oldies But Goodies In The Open Water
• NYC Swim bio
• Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
• Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association
• Cindy Walsh Joins Triple Crown Of Open Water Swimming
• Are You DRIVEN?