Andy Walberer Crosses The Molokai Channel At Night

J. Andrew Walberer, PhD completed a 42 km crossing of the Molokai Channel under the escort of Michael Twigg-Smith. The captain reported, "He started at Papohohako Beach on Molokai Island at 5:58 pm last night and finished this morning at 8:47 am at Alan Davis Beach on Oahu."

Walberer, a father of four and a lifelong pool swimmer, admits, “I enjoy pursuing personal goals outside of work, particularly planning, training, and pursuing athletic challenges" - which include two night-time swims: a 23.3-mile Chicago Skyline Swim in Lake Michigan and a 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel in 9 hours 43 minutes.

His choice of sports matches his own assessment of his physical tools, “I think I’m designed for distance swimming, full of slow twitch muscles."

Like many others, the pandemic and closing of pools was the catalyst for him to get into marathon swimming. “I’d been a pool swimmer most of my life. During the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, a group of five of us came together and started swimming regularly in Lake Michigan, and only three blocks from my house. One of the guys in our group - Professor Will Dichtel - was supposed to swim the English Channel in 2020, but his swim was cancelled due to COVID, so he decided to attempt the 23-mile Chicago Skyline Swim instead. As his training partner, I joined his support crew as a kayaker and had a front row seat to the odyssey of his 12+ hour swim. It was an amazing experience being part of his swim, so I decided that I would try the swim myself the next year.”

The Molokai Channel crossing was his third career nighttime crossing. Dr. Walberer is now three for three, a perfect record of success - even with two gnarly cookie cutter sharks marks on his stomach [read on here].

By Steven Munatones.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and Editor of the KAATSU Magazine. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), Dale Petranech Award for Services to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (2022), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007 and 2010), and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984, awarded to the senior whose interests are not bounded by academic or institutional structures. A joyous, deeply-rooted affirmation of life, disdain for the purely conventional; a love of adventure, and desire to learn by experiencing; the ability to respond creatively to difficult situations). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee (until 2011) and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, a 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff including 4 FINA World Championships, and 2008 NBC Olympic 10K Marathon Swim commentator.

Location: Huntington Beach, CA, USA

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