Bob West
Bob West (died on 21 June 2022) is an American free diver and spear fisherman-turned-open water swimmer from San Diego, California.
Open Water Swimming Highlights
- He is a member of the Half Century Club for his swim in the Catalina Channel at the age of 62 from Catalina Island to the California mainland in 15 hours 49 minutes in 1998.
- He is the second American and fourth person in history to become a member of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
- He is a recipient of the O'Clee Jubilee Cup from the Channel Swimming Association.
- He completed a swim across the Maui Channel on 27 August 1997 when he was 61 years old in 6 hours 20 minutes together with Janet Lamott and Kaeti Bailie.
- He is a lifetime member of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation.
- He is a member of the La Jolla Cove Swim Club.
- He organized five relay events across the Catalina Channel, beginning in 1989, when three Southern California-based teams became the 10th, 11th and 12th relay teams to swim across the 32.3 km Catalina Channel.
- In 1994, along with Tina Moore, he organized the first relay teams to circumnavigate Catalina Island. Three relay teams completed the counterclockwise circumnavigation in 26 hours 22 minutes 46 seconds on 1 September 1994.
- At the age of 55, he set a new age record on 3 August 1991 when he crossed the 32.3 km Catalina Channel under very rough conditions.
- He crossed the 32.2 km Catalina Channel at the age of 62, reclaiming the age record on 27 August 1998.
- He mentored many marathon swimmers, including CCSF Board member Carol Sing, Anne Cleveland, and Grace van der Byl.
- Catalina Channel relay with Dave Clark
- Del Mar Swim
- Seal Beach Rough Water Swim
- Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 9 hours 46 minutes on 9 August 1989
- Catalina Channel on 3 August 1991 in 16 hours 15 minutes at the age of 55 (John Pittman, escort pilot)
- English Channel on 9 August 1996 in 15 hours 35 minutes at the age of 60 (Reg Brickell, escort pilot)
- 12-mile around Coronado Island
- 8.5-mile Catalina Swim
- Capitola to Santa Cruz 6-mile swim
- North Channel relay from Scotland to Northern Ireland in 13 hours
- circumnavigation swim around Catalina Island in 26+ hours
- Blue Grotto on Capri to Eschia Island, across the bay of Naples
- Point Loma Lighthouse to the Mexican Coronado Islands relay
- Strait of Haro relay near Vancouver British Columbia in 49ºF (9.5ºC) water
- Maui Channel crossing with Carol Sing
- Maui Channel crossing with Janet Lamott and Kaeti Bailie
Catalina Channel Half Century Club
West is a member of the Catalina Channel Half Century Club, a group of open water swimmers who have successfully crossed the Catalina Channel over the age of 50 years.
1. Jim Clifford (USA), 62 years 11 months, CM in 9:49 on 28 September 2014
2. Bob West (USA), 62, CM in 15:49 in 1998
3. Gary Greenwood (USA), 62, CM in 13:08 in 2004
4. Pat Gallant-Charette (USA), 60, CM in 14:11 in 2011
5. Mo Siegel (USA), 60, CM in 13:08 in 2011
6. Scott Lautman (USA), 60 CM in 12:09 in 2013
7. Bob Needham (USA), 58, CM in 13:10 in 2011
8. Tom Hecker (USA), 57, CM in 10:45 in 2009
9. Richard Knepper (USA), 56, MC in 11:56 in 2005
10. Barbara Held (USA), 56, CM in 9:36 in 2010
11. Mark Smitherman (USA), 56, CM in 11:52 in 2014
12. Carol Sing (USA), 55, CM in 10:38 in 1997
13. Bill Hoehn (USA), 55, CM in 12:57 in 2005
14. Kevin Murphy (Great Britain), 54, CM in 15:23 in 2003
15. Roger Finch (South Africa), 54, CM in 9:45:02 in 2012
16. Dave Van Mouwerik (USA), 54,, CM in 12:09:07 in 2012
17. Ned Denison (Ireland), 54, CM 8:50:04 in 2012
18. Peter Tanham (Australia), 54, CM in 10:07 in 2014
19. Anthony McCarley (USA), 54, CM in 13:00.3 in 2014
20. Nick Almos-Lau (Mexico), 53, CM in 12:40 in 1999
21. James Fitzpatrick (USA), 53, CM in 14:59 in 2008 (to Newport Beach)
22. Jim McConica (USA), 53, CM in 10:19 in 2004
23. Douglas McConnell (USA), 53, CM in 12:41:13 in 2012
24. David Cooper (USA), 52, CM in 13:19 in 2005
25. Dan Richards (USA), 52, CM in 10:10 2008
26. Chris Burke (USA), 52, CM in 11:22 in 2014
27. Alan Bell (USA), 51, CM in 9:28 in 2001
28. Chris Palfrey (Australia), 51, CM in 10:30 in 2009
29. Lynn Kubasek (USA), 51, CM in 15:53 in 2009
30. Daniel Robinson (USA), 51, CM in 9:57 in 2008
31. Ron Collins (USA), 51, CM in 10:05 on 10 September 2013
32. Antonio Argüelles (Mexico), 50, CM in 10:25 in 2009
33. William Newbern (USA), 50, CM in 12:48 in 2005
34. Ray Meltvedt (USA), 50, CM in 15:25 in 2010
35. Suzie Dods (USA), 50, MC in 18:36 in 2010
36. Dale Petranech (USA), 50, CM in 13:28 in 1985
37. John Hill (USA), 50, CM in 19:15 in 1985
38. Frank Reynolds (USA), 50, CM in 10:34 in 1987
39. Jim Barber (USA), 50, CM in 8:43 in 2010
40. Sue Free (USA), 50, CM in 11:23 in 2012
41. Bridgette Hobart Janeczko (USA), 50, CM 11:27:16 in 2012
42. Hendrik Meerman (USA), CM, 50, 12:48:30 in 2012
43. Scott Tapley (USA), MC, 50, 17:43:12 in 2014
External links
- Carol Sing On Enjoying The Channels On WOWSA Live
- Finishing Strongly In The Second Half Of Life
- Catalina Channel Swimming Federation
- A Celebration Of Catalina Channel Champions
- Updating The Half Century Club
- Channel Swimming Association
- NYC Swim
- Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
- Open Water Swimming
- Anthony McCarley Taking It To Another Level
- The Beauty And Artistry Of Ocean Swimming
- Loretta Cox Attempts To Become One Of The Top Five
- The Oldest Men and Women in the Sea
- Oldies But Goodies In The Open Water
- Catalina Channel Swimming Federation website
- U.S. Masters Swimming bio
- Post-50 Swimming With Bob West
- Triple Crowners Showcase Their Fountain Of Youth - Age of Triple Crowners
- Triple Crown Of Open Water Swimming - Average Ages
- How Old Can They Go? Very Old
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Marathon Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- I Got Stung
- World Marathon Swimming Association
- Dan Simonelli On The Pan-American Colibrí Swim
