Mickey Pittman

Father Mickey Pittman (27+ years as an escort pilot for the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation) and son John Pittman (42+ years as an escort pilot for the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation) were jointly selected as Honour Contributors (Pilots) in the Class of 2017 in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

Mickey Pittman standing in front on his escort boat

Mickey Pittman is a prolific escort pilot with the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation who escorted Lynne Cox, Penny Dean, John York, Cindy Cleveland, Dan Slosberg, David Yudovin, and many other channel swimmers across the Catalina Channel (aka San Pedro Channel on one-way and two-way crossings. He is the father of John Pittman, another Catalina Channel escort pilot.

Honor

Both Mickey Pittman and John Pittman were selected as Honour Contributors (Pilots) in the Class of 2016 in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Pilots

• Reg Brickell, Sr., Great Britain, Class of 2003 (English Channel)
  
• Captain Leonard Hutchinson, Great Britain, Class of 2004 (English Channel)
  
• William J. Long, Great Britain, Class of 2004 (English Channel)
  
• Michael Oram, Great Britain, Class of 2004 (English Channel)
  
• Duncan Taylor, Great Britain, Class of 2005 (English Channel)
  
• David Whyte, Great Britain, Class of 2007 (English Channel)
  
• Reg Brickell, Jr., Great Britain, Class of 2009 (English Channel)
  
• Ray Brickell, Great Britain, Class of 2009 (English Channel)
  
• Charlie Gravett, Great Britain, Class of 2016 (Isle of Jersey)
  
• Mickey Pittman and John Pittman, USA, Class of 2017 (Catalina Channel)
  

Catalina Channel Crossings

• On 21 September 1978, Pittman escorted John York on a record-setting two-way crossing of the 42.4 km Catalina Channel from the Southern California mainland to Santa Catalina Island and back to the Southern California mainland in 16 hours 42 minutes (first leg was 6 hours 41 minutes 14 seconds; second leg was 9 hours 0 minutes 46 seconds) at the age of 18. The record still stands as of 2016.
• In 1982, he provided advice and was the lead escort boat pilot for the 51 km Catalina Classic paddleboard race from the Isthmus Cove on Catalina Island to the Manhattan Beach Pier.

External links

• Amy Dantzler Paddles In The Wake of Cindy Cleveland, Carol Sing and Grace Van Der Byl
• David Whyte Talks About Crossing The English Channel On WOWSA Live
• David Whyte Talks About The English Channel On WOWSA Live
• Michael Twigg-Smith, David Harvey, Mark Hamilton Talk About Channel Swimming On WOWSA Live
• Old School Breaststroking In The Open Water
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• Catalina Channel Swimming Federation
• Post-50 Swimming With Bob West
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• Pittmans Inducted In Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame
• Rose Helps Swimmers Bloom In The Open Water
• Honor Pilots In The International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame