Navy Veteran, San Diego Mesa College Swim Team Member, Local Open Water Swimmer
Hosting Fundraiser for Record Setting Swim this August
SAN DIEGO, CA — Local open water swimmer, Navy veteran and San Diego Mesa College Swim Team member Robert Palmese is hosting a fundraiser at San Diego Mesa College to help raise funds toward the cost of a record setting swim this Summer. Robert will be attempting a triple crossing of the Catalina Channel, a feat that has never been attempted.
On Thursday May 12th Robert will be hosting a 12-hour nonstop pool swim at Mesa College which will assist in raising funds toward the triple crossing, which has an estimated cost of $8,000. The fundraiser will begin at approximately 4:30 AM the morning of May 12th and end 12 hours later. Robert has started a crowdfunding page on GoFundMe.com. It is addressed www.gofundme.com/catalinatriple. The ultimate goal of the fundraiser is to get the word out about the swim this summer and to help make this record setting swim more affordable for Robert. He hopes to complete 24 miles by the end of the 12-hour pool swim.
Last summer Robert swam the 21 mile Catalina Channel in a time of 12 hours and 27 minutes. Struggling through strong cross currents, Robert finished over 3 hours after his expected finish time. His triple crossing attempt, scheduled for August 11th , 2016 will begin at approximately midnight on Catalina Island and end at the San Pedro Peninsula on August 12th after completing three consecutive crossings. Robert expects to spend 32-36 hours in the 65-70 degree water to cross the approximate distance of 63 miles. But according to him, "I wouldn't be surprised if it turns into a 40+ hour swim."
As he did last summer, Robert will be raising funds once again for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In memory of his friend, Emily Nichols, who passed away in January of 2015 at age 21. He has named all of his swims in her honor, "Swim for Em". The Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising will begin in July.
Cystic fibrosis causes chronic lung infections and premature death. It affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States, and 70,000 people worldwide. More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of a defective CF gene. The funds raised will support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The efforts of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation have helped spur dramatic progress in drug development and therapies for those with cystic fibrosis (CF). Fifty years ago, most children born with CF died before reaching elementary school. Today, there are people with CF are living into their 30s, 40s and beyond. To learn more about cystic fibrosis and the CF Foundation, please visit www.cff.org.