Maura Twomey finished the 20‑mile Catalina Channel in 15:45:23, becoming the oldest swimmer to cross the stretch.
The time eclipses the previous record by a margin that places her at the top of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, a feat that includes the English Channel and the 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan.
Wind was the real drama of the day. Starting with 12‑knot gusts, the breeze roared to 20 knots in the final hours, threatening to push her off course. Twomey said when she felt she had nothing left, she thought of her brother Martin, who had just survived a kidney transplant, and that memory steadied her.
Support crews from the Kamryn Dawson, crew chief Elaine Howley and swimmer Barbara Cocci kept her afloat, while kayaks from Sidney Russell and Angela Lee provided essential rescue. The swim also raised €17,022 for the Irish Kidney Association, surpassing the €15,000 target and highlighting the charitable impact of her endurance.
With the Catalina record now in her lap, Twomey eyes the next open‑water challenge: a planned swim across the English Channel in the spring. She’s also set her sights on mentoring young athletes who aspire to push beyond age limits.