An Indian Masters swimming team from Bengaluru has completed a rare double crossing of the Catalina Channel, potentially becoming the first Asian team to achieve this feat, pending final ratification.
LOS ANGELES, CA – A six-member team from Bengaluru, known as SwimLife Orcas, has successfully completed a remarkable double crossing of the Catalina Channel off the coast of Southern California. This achievement, subject to final ratification, could make them the first Asian team to accomplish this challenging feat.
The team undertook the two-way crossing over a grueling 29 hours and 24 minutes from September 10 to 11. According to their expedition report, this marks only the 12th successful double crossing of the Catalina Channel since 1991.
The accomplishment drew the attention of Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, India’s Consul General in Los Angeles, who met with the team and their coach upon their return. He congratulated them on their display of endurance, discipline, mental resilience, and teamwork. Dr. Srinivasa expressed pride in the fact that the team raised the Indian Tricolor on the Southern California shore after completing the demanding open-water challenge.
The Catalina Channel spans approximately 32 kilometers between Santa Catalina Island and the Southern California mainland. However, the actual distance swum can be significantly longer due to varying currents, winds, and ocean swells. The swimmers faced numerous challenges, including cold water, changing sea conditions, and fatigue, with much of the return crossing occurring during a new-moon night in near-total darkness.
The relay began from the mainland at 8:17 a.m. on September 10. After completing the first leg shortly after midnight, the swimmers immediately commenced their return crossing. Under the regulations of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation, they swam in one-hour rotations, with the expedition monitored by official observers. By the end of the crossing, each swimmer had spent approximately five hours in the ocean.
The team was led by coach Satish Kumar Mohan, 49, who is the founder of SwimLife Academy, vice president of the Swimming Federation of India, and secretary of the Karnataka Swimming Association.
The swimmers included Meghana Mayya, 48, senior director of technology at Lowe’s India; Varuna Mayya, 43, principal technical specialist at Nokia Networks; Sindhu Naropanth, 41, senior tech program manager at Walmart Global Technologies; Nikhil Mysore Manjunath, 35, associate director at LTIMindtree; Siddhartha Agarwal, 52, founder of Bhoruka Park; and team captain Sumanth Naropanth, 45, founder of Indian cybersecurity companies Deep Armor and Gauntlet.
This diverse group represents a blend of technology and business professionals who have extensive experience in Masters and open-water swimming. Several members have competed in state, national, and international Masters championships and have prior relay experience in the English Channel, Catalina Channel, and Palk Strait.
Siddhartha Agarwal has completed multiple relay and solo crossings and holds a Limca record for being the oldest Indian swimmer to successfully cross the English Channel.
Dr. Srinivasa emphasized that this accomplishment highlights an aspect of the Indian diaspora that extends beyond professional success. He praised the swimmers for demonstrating that Indians pursuing demanding careers in technology and business can also excel in endurance sports.
He expressed hope that the team’s achievement would inspire more young Indians, particularly women and working professionals, to engage in swimming, fitness, and adventure sports.
The Catalina Channel crossing is widely recognized as one of the most significant challenges in open-water swimming. For the SwimLife Orcas, completing the two-way journey places their achievement in an especially select category, with final ratification expected to confirm its official status as the first successful double crossing of the channel by an Asian team, according to India-West.