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In this edition of the SwimOut podcast we tell the story of my Catalina Channel swim in California. This is a 20 mile swim, with many challenges to overcome, both practical and psychological. The podcast explores the many twists and turns of such a long journey. Both the podcast and the challenge are with the help of Oonagh, my wife and chief crew for this enormous undertaking. If successful the Triple Crown of open water swimming will be earned.
We hear from coaches, pilots, observers and kayakers. My crew share their thoughts and Monica, my support swimmer, doubles as chief interviewer on board. We also get insights on the swim and how to be successful from Lynne Cox who first did the swim when she was only 14 years old. Plus we get to hear all the messages sent by my friends during the swim.
Listen now to find out if I overcame my fears and won the battle against indecision, very rough conditions, an injured shoulder, exhaustion and scary wildlife.
Find out more: @swimoutpodcast or swimout.net
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"Catalina: The big channel challenge" is an episode of SwimOut. Runtime 1 hr 5 min. Published November 6, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.