Bengaluru team completes double Catalina channel crossing, congratulated by Indian Consul General in LA

The Consul General of India in Los Angeles, Dr KJ Srinivasa met and congratulated a swimming team from Bengaluru that completed a double crossing of the Catalina Channel off the Southern California coast, becoming the first team from Asia to complete the challenge.

Srinivasa met the members of the SwimLife Orcas, a Masters swimming team, following the successful relay swim that took 29 hours and 24 minutes to complete. The expedition report of the team said that this is the 12th successful double of the channel since 1991 and the first by an Indian team.

Officials said that during the interaction, Srinivasa warmly congratulated the swimmers and their coach on the extraordinary achievement and appreciated their physical endurance, mental resilience, discipline and exceptional teamwork.


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He added that the accomplishment was a matter of pride for India and the Indian community in the United States. He also commended the team for raising the Indian Tricolour on the shores of Southern California after completing an endurance challenge in one of the world’s demanding open-water environments. The team included professionals from India’s technology and business sectors with extensive experience in Masters and open-water swimming.

The Catalina channel stretches about 32 kilometres between Santa Catalina Island and the Southern California mainland, with challenging currents, winds and ocean swells. The relay was conducted in one-hour rotations under Catalina Channel Swimming Federation regulations and was monitored by official observers.