George Young

George Young, inductee (Honour Swimmer) of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

George Young with his escort boat during the 1927 Wrigley Ocean Marathon Swim. Photo courtesy of Catalina Channel swimmer Chris Geer of Channel Twenty-one

William Wrigley, Jr. with George Young after the 1927 Wrigley Ocean Marathon Swim. Photo courtesy of Catalina Channel swimmer Chris Geer of Channel Twenty-one

#1 Jimmie Tosaka of Japan, #2 Marvin Nelson, #3 Mendell Burditt, #4 Walter Johnson, #5 Sam Shields, #6 Isadore Spondor, #7 George Young, and #8 Bill Goll, entrants in the 1931 Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto

George Young after his 15 mile 1931 CNE victory in 8 hours and 8 minutes. His trainer Johnny Walker with towel over shoulder and George’s mother Mrs. J. Young. The record seems to indicate that 182 started and 3 finished in the cold lake.

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George Young, winner and sole finisher of the 1927 Wrigley Ocean Marathon

George Young (born 1910 in Scotland, died 6 August 1972, nickname the Catalina Kid) was a marathon swimmer from Canada who was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1963 as an Honour Swimmer and in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2014 as an Honor Open Water Swimmer.

Open Water Swimming Career

Under the tutelage of coach Johnny Walker, training at Toronto's West End YMCA pool, Young had a well-deserved reputation in the open water.

• As a 17-year-old, Young was the sole finisher of the Wrigley Ocean Marathon, a 32.2 km open water swimming competition across the Catalina Channel in 15 hours 44 minutes 30 seconds, winning the US$25,000 first prize offered by William Wrigley, Jr.. He swam from 11:21 am and finished on Point Vicente at 3:05 am on 16 January 1927.
• Winner of the CNE Marathon Swim in September 1931.
• Won four Toronto Across the Bay swims
• Won three Montreal bridge-to-bridge swims
• Won the Canadian 220 yard title

International Professional Swimmers Association

Young was voted as an Associate for Life in the International Professional Swimmers Association founded in New York City in 1927.

External links

• When Sloan's Stopped Shier
• Night Swimming On A Wolf Moon
• Open Water Swimming History At The Olympics
• Diary Of A Double With Antonio Argüelles – Week 22
• Third Time Was A Charm In Canada For Margaret Ravior And Marvin ‘Duke’ Nelson
• Open Water Swimming
• Carol Sing On Enjoying The Channels On WOWSA Live
• Marilyn Bell Recalls Her Remarkable Teenage Years On WOWSA Live
• George Young, winner of the Wrigley Ocean Marathon, receives a check from William Wrigley, Jr., Los Angeles, 1927
• Racing For Half A Million Dollars Across The Catalina Channel
• Swimmers on the shore before the start of the Wrigley Ocean Marathon at Isthmus Cove, Santa Catalina Island, 1927
• Wrigley Ocean Marathon 12 January 1927 The Catalina Island
• Hundreds Start Channel Swim, Los Angeles Times
• Pauline Jackson Paved The Way Across Channels And Lakes
• Old-School Canadian Professional Race Posters
• Judith van Berkel-de Nijs Mixing It Up With The Men
• The Splendid Failure And Many Successes By Mercedes Gleitze
• Standing On The Shoulders Of Dale Petranech
• Too Far, Too Cold, Too Rough? No Problem For Claudio Plit
• George Young, The Catalina Kid
• Mervyn Sharp Talks About Achieving His Childhood Dream On WOWSA Live
• Pioneering David Yudovin, A Channel Swimming Icon
• Elaine Howley Making, Documenting History On WOWSA Live
• What Was The Most Impactful Open Water Swim In World History?
• George Young In 1924
• George Young Day
• 1963 Canadian National Exhibition Marathon Swim
• Quienes Sueñan y Construyen, The Life Of Antonio Argüelles
• When Channel Swimming History Was Young
• Open Water Swimming Dual Inductees And Dual Honorees
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame website
• Catalina Channel Swimming Federation website
• Channel Twenty-one
• The Black Shark Handled CNE's Cold Water
• International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame Origins
• World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation History
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• Open Water Swimming
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• WPMSF Led To IMSHOF
• World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation
• Marathon Swimming
• Daily News of Open Water Swimming
• We Know Richard Weinberger, But Who Is Eric Hedlin?
• The Ties That Bind In The Open Water
• Shier Mendelson, Canadian Pioneer In The Open Water
• George Young Swims Across The Bay Before The Channel
• Shier Mendelson Always Helping Others
• George Young Day
• George Young Voted In International Swimming Hall Of Fame
• St. Ninian's Bay To Host International Swim Celebration
• Mercedes Gleitze To Be Honored In Scotland
• Crème de la Crème Of The Open Water World
• Young Helped The Young
• Antecedent Attempts At Anacapa
• California Channel Island Swimming History 1926 to 1978
• Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association
• George Young In 1924
• Precursor Of The Future, 1930 Canadian National Exhibition
• Dual Inductees In Swimming Hall Of Fames
• Race Invitations, Then And Now
• Keep Going And Never Stop!
• Honored Member George Young