Wrigley Ocean Marathon
From Openwaterpedia
The Wrigley Ocean Marathon Swim was a cross Catalina Channel swim in January 15th, 1927, sponsored by William Wrigley, Jr. who owned the Santa Catalina Island Company in order to promote Catalina Channel.
The swim offered a cash prize of US$25,000 to the winner between Catalina Island and Point Vicente on the Southern Californian mainland.
The Wrigley Ocean Marathon Swim attracted 102 competitors, including a 17-year-old Canadian George Young who was the only finisher and declared winner with a time of 15 hours 44 minutes 30 seconds.
Young later recalled, "We put a covering of graphite over the grease before I put on my bathing suit to help keep out the cold... I had taken off my bathing suit when I was two and one half miles from Catalina, and I forgot that grease and graphite were my only covering as I rose out of the water."
Two women, Margaret Hauser of Long Beach, California and Martha Stager of Portland, Oregon, were awarded prize money, despite not completing the race. Only a mile from the finish line, Hauser was pulled from the water by her husband/trainer after 19 hours and 26 minutes, making her the contestant who lasted the longest. They received US$2,500 for their efforts.
The authoritative history of Catalina Channel swimming was published by International Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer Penny Dean.
