Santa Catalina

A 50-year-old New Jersey man last week became the oldest person to swim the Catalina Channel, taking the title from 49-year-old John Hill of Palos Verdes Estates, who held it only nine days.

Dale Petranich, of Voorhees, N.J., finished the 21.5-mile swim on Friday in 13 hours and 28 minutes, breaking Hill’s time of 19 hours and 15 minutes.

Petranich, who is director of U.S. Long-Distance Swimming, a national organization, is the 55th swimmer to cross the channel, according to records kept by the Catalina Channel Federation.