At the halfway point of the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year, nearly 13,000 online votes have been cast for the 12 nominees.
Each of the individuals nominated in the annual award is a hero in his own way, symbolizing the very best of the sport of open water swimming.
The group – and the sport in general – includes everyone from escort pilots who safely and strategically navigate marathon swimmers to their goals to incredibly courageous veterans who battle hours (if not days) in cold, harsh, unforgiving oceans.
These individuals best embody the spirit of open water swimming, possess the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and have most positively influenced the world of open water swimming in 2010.
1. Marcos Díaz (Dominican Republic) – 10,416
2. Chad Ho (South Africa) – 567
3. Ventura Deep Six (USA) – 512
4. Dave Barra (USA) – 405
5. Nino Fazio (Italy) – 353
6. Ned Denison (Ireland) – 261
7. Chris Palfrey (Australia) – 82
8. Valerio Cleri (Italy) – 43
9. Lewis Pugh (Great Britain) – 38
10. Michael Oram (Great Britain) – 23
11. Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria) – 23
12. Captain Earl Sandvik (USA) – 12
Marcos Díaz, the pride of the Dominican Republic, has extended his lead quite comfortably in the first month, partly due to his successful four swims around the world and partly because he has conducted himself so unselfishly out of the world through his humanitarian efforts in collaboration with the United Nations.
Congratulations to all the nominees, all heroes in their own right.
Copyright © 2010 by Open Water Source