Maui Nui Triangle Swim
The Maui Nui Swim (or the Maui Nui Triangle Swim, the Maui Nui Crossings, the Maui Nui Channel Swim, or originally the 3 Islands Swim) is a non-stop three-way channel swim between the Hawaiian islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai, swum in any order by either a relay or solo swimmer. There are innumerable starting and finishing points, courses and directions (clockwise or counterclockwise) that swimmers can take to complete this swim.
Contents
Governance
Solo swims and tandem swims of the Maui Nui Swim are organized by Dr. Steve Minaglia.
Maui Nui
Maui Nui was once a large landmass that consisted of the modern-day islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe in Hawaii approximately 1.2 million years ago. These four islands comprise of Maui County in contemporary times.
2019 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year Nomination
Becca Mann's 2019 Maui Nui Swim was nominated for the 2019 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year award as follows:
The Maui Nui Swim, a non-stop cross-current triple ocean channel swim between the Hawaiian Islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai, had last been attempted 30 years ago and never been successfully completed. 21-year-old Becca Mann, a published author and world-class pool and marathon swimmer with national and international titles under her cap, was looking for a totally new challenge – and the Maui Nui met all her parameters. With a highly veteran escort and support crew alongside her, Mann set off from Maui on the 57.78 km course with loads of excitement and a bit of innocence as to what she was about to experience. While she had finished 6th in the USA Swimming national 10K championships earlier in the year, she was swimming well beyond anything she had ever done before in the deep blue waters of Hawaii. Rough water, strong winds and changing currents relentlessly battered her about as her confidence waned a bit, but Mann kept going with a focused mindset and completed the Maui Nui in 20 hours 53 minutes. For completely an unprecedented ocean course in Hawaii, for swimming over 3 times as long as she had ever done before in the Pailolo, Kalohi and Auau Channels, and for finishing 4th overall in Waikiki Roughwater Swim only two weeks later, the Maui Nui Swim by Becca Mann of the USA is a worthy nominee for the 2019 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.
Maui Nui Swim Open Water Swims
- Harry Huffaker attempted the Maui Nui Crossings (originally called the 3 Islands Swim) in 1989. He made at least two legs of the three non-stop crossings, but weather and water conditions prevented him to complete the entire 3 Islands Swim.
- Becca Mann completed the first 57.78 km Maui Nui Swim in August 2019 between the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai on 18-19 August 2019 with Captain Michael Twigg-Smith, Escort crew Steve Haumschild, Shelley Oates, Relief Captain Mike Scott, feeder Beth Mann, planning and organization by the Kaiwi Channel Association.
- 15.75 km Pailolo Channel from Maui to Moloka'i started at 1:00 pm and finished at 5:01 pm on 18 August 2019.
- 26.50 km Kalohi Channel from Moloka'i to Lana'i, started at 5:09 pm and finished at 3:20:15 am on 19 August 2019.
- 15.33 km Auau Channel from Lana'i to Maui, started at 3:29:35 am and finished at 9:53 am on 19 August 2019.
- Captains Andy Joca and Phil Kibby escorted 56-year-old Ted Lomicka on his Maui Nui Swim in 23 hours 47 minutes, starting at 3:23 pm on 21 February and finishing at 3:10 pm on 22 February 2026. He swam the 'Au'au Channel first in 5 hours 54 minutes from the Old Club Lanai on Lāna'i to Ka'anapali Beach on Maui; the 13.5 km Pailolo Channel second in 9 hours 48 minutes from Ka'anapali Beach on Maui to Kamalo, Moloka'i, and the 14.9 km Kalohi Channel third in 8 hours 0 minutes from Kamalo on Moloka'i to Shipwreck Beach on Lāna'i.
- On 8 October 2026, Terri Dietz completed history's third Maui Nui Swim between the islands of Lana'i, Maui, and Moloka'i in a cumulative time of 25 hours 26 minutes with Captain Andy Joca and crew members Cameron Foucht, Meredith Graf, Zane Wright, Michele Moore, and Kate Macias.
- 15.33 km 'Au'au Channel from Club Lana'i to Ka'anapali Beach, Maui from 3:36 pm to 10:38 pm
- 15.75 km Pailolo Channel from Ka'anapali Beach, Maui to Kamalo, Moloka'i from 10:41 pm to 9:16 am
- 26.50 km Kalohi Channel from Kamalo, Moloka'i to Paopao Point, Lana'i 9:23 am to 4:49 pm
Synonyms
Maui Nui Crossings, Maui Nui Channel Swim
External links
- [Maui Nui Swim
- Aloha and Arigato by Norihito Yoshioka
- Swims Across Waikiki Lead To Channel Crossings In Hawai'i
- Ocean Man Ted Lomicka Completes The Maui Nui Swim
- Reducing Risks for Moloka’i Channel Crossings
- Jonathan Writing Up A Storm About Channel Swimming
- Enjoy Coastal Swims In Paradise
- Becca Mann Lives Outside The Lanes
- 8th Annual ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui Swim in Hawaii
- How Do You Pioneer An Open Water Swim?
- The History and Future of the Kaiwi Channel Association
- Becca Mann Talks About Racing Against The World's Fastest On WOWSA Live
- Harry Hukkaker Talks About Global Adventures On WOWSA Live
- Becca Mann Describes The Maui Nui On WOWSA Live
- Becca Mann Describes Her Maui Nui Triangle Swim
- What Started With Harry Huffaker, Accomplished By Becca Mann, Is Now Open To Challengers
- Maui Nui Swim
- Maui Nui defined
- Open Water Swimming
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Beautiful Becca. Mann Masters Maui Nui
- Becca Mann 2 Channels Down, 1 To Go
- Becca Mann, 1 Channel Down + 2 To Go
- Mann Up, Maui Nui Is A Go
- From Lima To Lanai, Becca Mann To Attempt The Maui Nui Triangle
- 30 Year Déjà Yu, Becca Mann To Attempt Maui Nui
- Michael Twigg-Smith, Becca Mann On The Maui Nui Triangle Swim
- Becca Mann Describes Her Maui Nui Triangle Swim
