Steven Minaglia

Dr. Steven Minaglia is a 52-year-old American channel swimmer and Hawaiian Channel Swim Association (HCSA) Recorder/Honorary Secretary who lives and works in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. He has completed 89 documented marathon swims nationally and internationally including a record 41 channel crossings in Hawaiʻi. He created, organizes and regularly competes in the annual Maui Nui SwimTM also known as the ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Swim Challenge, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. In 2024, he co-published a scientific article with Melodee Liegl describing risk factors for cookiecutter shark attacks on Hawaiian channel swimmers that has now been discussed on Hawaiʻi Public Radio, featured in Forbes Magazine, and placed 4th in the 2023 World Open Water Swimming Association Award for Product/Service Category. In 2024 he announced that Maui Nui SwimTM has also been selectively organizing Molokaʻi (Kaiwi), Kaulakahi, and ʻAlenuihāhā Channel swim crossings since 2018. He is an inductee for the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2025 multiple categories.

Professional Career

He is a Professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaiʻi and is a double board-certified specialist in both Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynecology. He was formerly an Associate Editor of Urogynecology, the official journal of the American and European Urogynecologic Societies. More recently he achieved an additional focused practice designation in Minimally Invasive Gynecolgic Surgery (MIGS) by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ABOG) and now serves as a board examiner for ABOG.

Oahu Circumnavigation Swim

On 2022 6 November, Marek Lehocky and Steven Minaglia completed the first Oʻahu Circumnavigation Swim, a 206.4 km staged, clockwise, unsupported swim around the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Triple Crown Progress

2014 1 October Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island (California) to San Pedro (California); 35 km; 10:01:26 (solo)
2019 31 August, He finished 5th in the 45.9 km 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island in New York City in 7 hours 18 minutes 22 seconds at the age of 46 (solo).

Oceans 7 Progress

2014 28 July Strait of Gibraltar from Spain (Tarifa) to Morocco (El Vaar); 17.7 km; 4:01:50 (solo)
2014 1 October Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island (California) to San Pedro (California); 35 km; 10:01:26 (solo)
2015 31 March DNF Cook Strait from South to North (New Zealand); DNF due to hypothermia; 19 km completed; 5:23:00 (solo)
2020 31 October 2020 Kaiwi Channel from Molokai to Oahu in 22:02:00 (tandem)

Triple Crown of Stage Swims June 19,2018-April 26, 2019

2018 19-26 June 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim He completed all 7 stage swims of the 120-mile swim in New York finishing in 42 hours 45 minutes 6 seconds to become the 21st person to complete all 7 stages consecutively: Stage 1. The Islands — Rip Van Winkle Br. to Kingston Rhinecliff Br. 18.3 miles in 5:28:41; Stage 2. The Lighthouses — Kingston Rhinecliff Br. to Mid-Hudson Br. 19.8 miles in 7:12:21; Stage 3. The Hudson Valley — Mid-Hudson Br. to Newburgh Beacon Br. 13.2 miles in 4:38:27; Stage 4. The Highlands — Newburgh Beacon Br. to Bear Mountain Br. 15 miles in 5:15:31; Stage 5. The Great Bays — Bear Mountain Br. to Tappan Zee Br. 19.8 miles in 9:30:09; Stage 6. The Palisades — Tappan Zee Br. to George Washington Br. 15.7 miles in 3:56:42; Stage 7. Liberty — George Washington Br. to Verrazano Narrows Br. 18.6 miles in 6:43:15
2018 7-9 September 2018 He organized and swam the Second Annual ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Swim Challenge, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.
2019 23-26 April S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 8th on Day One in Saguaro Lake 15.2 km in 3:36; 14th on Day Two in Canyon Lake 15 km in 3:25; 14th on Day Three in Apache Lake 27.3 km in 6:41; 7th on Day Four in Roosevelt Lake 10 km in 3:06 and 9th overall for the whole series.

List of channel crossings (distance 10,000m or more):

1. 2011 4 September Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 14.1 km (solo)

2. 2012 4 February Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 13.5 km (tandem)

3. 2012 12 May Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 14.9 km (tandem)

4/5. 2013 30 November Pailolo Channel double crossing from Maui to Molokai to Maui, Hawaii; 30.6 km; 11:10 (solo)

6/7. 2014 19 January Auau Channel double crossing from Lanai to Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 28.2 km; 10:33 (tandem)

8. 2014 28 July Strait of Gibraltar from Spain (Tarifa) to Morocco (El Vaar); 17.7 km; 4:01:50 (solo)

9. 2014 1 October Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island (California) to San Pedro (California); 35 km; 10:01:26 (solo)

2015 31 March DNF Cook Strait from South to North (New Zealand); DNF due to hypothermia; 19 km completed; 5:23:00 (solo)

10. 2017 21 October Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:55:00 (tandem)

11. 2017 22 October Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 5:28:00 (tandem)

12. 2017 23 October Kalohi Channel from Lanai to Molokai, Hawaii; 5:21:00 (tandem)

13. 2018 7 September Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 6:06:00 (tandem)

14. 2018 8 September Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 5:52:00 (tandem)

15. 2018 9 September Kalohi Channel from Lanai to Molokai, Hawaii; 5:34:00 (tandem)

16. 2019 12 September Kalohi Channel from Lanai to Molokai, Hawaii; 6:04:00 (tandem)

17. 2019 13 September Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 5:50:00 (tandem

18. 2019 15 September Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 7:47:00 (tandem)

19. On 8 August 2020, he completed a 27.3 km crossing of the Kaulakahi Channel from Kauai to Niihau in 14 hours 28 minutes (solo)

20. On 31 October 2020, he completed a crossing of the Kaiwi Channel from Molokai to Oahu in 22:02:00 (tandem)

21. 2021 19 February Auau Channel from Lanai to Maui, Hawaii; 4:54:00 (tandem)

22. 2021 20 February Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 6:52:00 (tandem)

23. 2021 21 February Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai , Hawaii; 5:16:00 (tandem)

24. 2021 10 July Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 4:36:00 (tandem)

25. 2021 27 August Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 6:08:00 (tandem)

26. 2021 28 August Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 8:06:00 (tandem)

27. 2021 30 October Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 5:47:00 (tandem)

28. 2021 13 November Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 4:49:00 (tandem)

29. 2022 21 February Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:47:00 (tandem)

30. 2022 22 February Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 6:22:00 (tandem)

31. 2022 23 February Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 8:48:00 (tandem)

32. 2022 18 June Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:25:00 (solo)

33. 2022 13 August Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:03:00 (tandem)

34. 2022 13 October Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 6:20:23 (tandem)

35. 2022 15 October Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:01:15 (tandem)

36. 2023 21 July Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 8:40:00 (tandem)

37. 2023 22 September Auau Channel from Maui to Lanai, Hawaii; 6:08:00 (tandem)

38. 2023 23 September Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:15:00 (tandem)

39. 2024 13 June Auau Channel from Lanai to Maui, Hawaii; 5:17:00 (tandem)

40. 2024 12 July Auau Channel from Lanai to Maui, Hawaii; 4:42:00 (tandem)

41. 2024 11 October Kalohi Channel from Molokai to Lanai, Hawaii; 5:02:00 (tandem)

42. 2024 12 October Pailolo Channel from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii; 4:54:00 (tandem)

43. 2024 13 October Auau Channel from Lanai to Maui, Hawaii; 4:50:00 (tandem)

List of marathon open water races

(distance 10,000m or more):

2015 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 8th overall on Day One at the 4-day stage swim in Saguaro Lake, a 9.5-mile (15.2 km) course at 1529-feet (466m) elevation
2015 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 7th overall on Day Two in Canyon Lake, Distance 15 km
2015 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 9th place on Day Four in Roosevelt Lake, Distance 10 km
2016 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 8th overall out of 40 on Day One in Saguaro Lake
2016 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 11th overall out of 40 on Day Two in Canyon Lake
2016 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 16th place on Day Four in Roosevelt Lake, Distance 10 km
2016 28th Annual Swimming Marathon of the Messinian Gulf, Kalamata, Greece; Distance 30 km; 6th overall out of 16; 9:55:00
2017 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 8th out of 40 on Day One in Saguaro Lake 15.2 km in 3:30:57
2017 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 12th out of 41 on Day Two in Canyon Lake 15 km in 3:44:14
2017 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 8th out of ** on Day Four in Roosevelt Lake, 10 km in 2:58:49
2018 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 11th out of 50 on Day One in Saguaro Lake 15.2 km in 3:35:37
2018 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 9th out of 48 on Day Three in Apache Lake 27.3 km in 6:11:42
2018 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 10th out of 50 on Day Four in Roosevelt Lake, 10 km in 3:13:13
2018 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim He completed all 7 stage swims of the 120-mile swim in New York between 19-26 June 2018 finishing in 42 hours 45 minutes 6 seconds to become the 21st person to complete all 7 stages consecutively: Stage 1. The Islands — Rip Van Winkle Br. to Kingston Rhinecliff Br. 18.3 miles in 5:28:41
Stage 2. The Lighthouses — Kingston Rhinecliff Br. to Mid-Hudson Br. 19.8 miles in 7:12:21
Stage 3. The Hudson Valley — Mid-Hudson Br. to Newburgh Beacon Br. 13.2 miles in 4:38:27
Stage 4. The Highlands — Newburgh Beacon Br. to Bear Mountain Br. 15 miles in 5:15:31
Stage 5. The Great Bays — Bear Mountain Br. to Tappan Zee Br. 19.8 miles in 9:30:09
Stage 6. The Palisades — Tappan Zee Br. to George Washington Br. 15.7 miles in 3:56:42
Stage 7. Liberty — George Washington Br. to Verrazano Narrows Br. 18.6 miles in 6:43:15
2019 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 8th on Day One in Saguaro Lake 15.2 km in 3:36
2019 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 14th on Day Two in Canyon Lake 15 km in 3:25
2019 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 14th on Day Three in Apache Lake 27.3 km in 6:41
2019 S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, 7th on Day Four in Roosevelt Lake 10 km in 3:06 and 9th overall for the whole series. 2019 April He became the 4th person to complete the Triple Crown of Stage Swims
On 31 August 2019, he finished 5th in the 45.9 km 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island in New York City in 7 hours 18 minutes 22 seconds at the age of 46.
He finished 7th in the 10 km North Shore Challenge marathon swim on Oahu on 7 September 2019 at the age of 46.

List of open water races (distance 5,000m or more):

2009 Waikiki Double Roughwater, aka Possibly Annual Hawaiian Christmas Looong Distance Invitational Rough-H2O Swim, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 22 out of 35; Official Time 2:05:53
2010 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 20 out of 41; 2:16:27
2011 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 17 out of 44; 2:15:38
2012 2XU Pier to Pier Invitational, Hong Kong SAR, China
2012 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 13 out of 38; 2:04:30
2013 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 15 out of 44; 2:00:31
2014 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 9 out of 44; 1:48:15
2016 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 11 out of 35; 2:06:00
2017 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 13 out of 37; 1:50:00
2018 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 11 out of 38; 1:54:00
2019 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; Placed 10 out of 41; 2:07:46
2023 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; 1:56
2024 Waikiki Double Roughwater, Honolulu, Hawaii; 1:57

Coaching

On 21-23 October 2017 he created, organized and swam the First Annual ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 5 out of 5 swimmers completed the challenge. Results are available at mauinuiswim.com
On 7-9 September 2018 he organized and swam the Second Annual ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 6 out of 7 swimmers completed the challenge.
On 12-15 September 2019 he organized and swam the 2019 ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 7 out of 9 swimmers completed the challenge.
On 19-21 February 2021, he organized and swam the 2021 Winter Session ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 2 out of 2 swimmers completed the challenge.
On 27-29 August 2021, he organized and swam 2 channels of the 2021 Summer Session ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 3 out of 5 swimmers completed the challenge.
On 21-23 February 2022, he organized and swam the 2022 Winter Session ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 6 out of 7 swimmers completed the challenge.
On 13-15 October 2022, he organized the 2022 Fall Session ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM, a 3-day, 3-channel crossing among the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. 4 out of 4 swimmers completed the challenge.
2023 July and September he organized and swam the ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM.
2024 July and October he organized and swam the ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui SwimTM.

Professional Career

Steven Minaglia, MD, MBA, FACS, FACOG, is a Professor in the Division of Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health of the John A. Burns School of Medicine of the University of Hawaii and Queen’s University Medical Group. He was formerly an Associate Editor for the journal, Urogynecology, the official journal of the American Urogynecologic Society. His regular series Journal Club and Podcasts appear monthly among the journal’s many online collections. Locally, he served as the Director of Robotic Surgery at the Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children located in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Dr. Minaglia holds both the AB and MD degrees from the University of Chicago, where his undergraduate major was in the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine. He completed a residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology and a 3-year fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Southern California. He is double board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology in General Obstetrics & Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery. He received the MBA degree from the University of Hawaii. More recently he achieved an additional focused practice designation in Minimally Invasive Gynecolgic Surgery (MIGS) by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ABOG). He now serves as a board examiner for ABOG.

Dr. Minaglia specializes in vaginal and laparoscopic surgical approaches to treat uterine and vaginal prolapse, advanced care for urinary and fecal incontinence and advanced surgical care for transgender people. He is an internationally recognized speaker on the topic of pelvic floor disorders in women and has addressed such diverse audiences as medical societies, hospital administrations, and patient advocacy groups all over the world. His writing and research appears in several publications including Obstetrics and Gynecology, The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Urology, The International Urogynecology Journal, and Urogynecology.

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