Marathon swimmers are not your average humans. They voluntarily push themselves beyond the normal. Cold, rough and tough are three adjectives that are commonly used among the marathon swimming crowd.
But Lewis Pugh takes cold, rough and tough to an entirely different level.
The former maritime lawyer and British Special Air Service warrior has done plenty of channel swims and ultra-marathon swims, but it is also his swims on high (on Mount Everest), down south (off Antarctica), and up north (across the North Pole) where he has established his name and reputation. His swims take on a significant amount of risk that requires full attention by his military experience and scientific mind. He surrounds himself by teams of experts and tackles swims that are considered impossible by the average person and extraordinarily daunting by his fellow aquatic adventurers.
And he delivers.
For his body of work in the water as a pioneer swimmer and on land as an ocean advocate, Pugh was recognized as an Honour Swimmer by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as a member of its Class of 2013.
“The IMSHOF extends its hearty congratulations to Lewis on his selection. The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame welcomes him into the fold of the truly greats in our sport of marathon swimming,” said Honorary Secretary Dale Petranech.
“Lewis Pugh is nothing short of extraordinary,” agreed Steven Munatones, Vice President of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. “He is a modern-day Renaissance Man – lawyer, Special Forces warrior, environmentalist, pioneering athlete. If your interest is swimming, Lewis’s life is as exciting as a Hollywood action hero. What he does cannot be made up. As a pioneer, he helps elevate our sport and enable both swimmers and non-swimmers alike to think of what is possible and how to get there.”
Pugh’s fellow inductees in the Class of 2013 include the following luminaries of the sport:
Honour Swimmers include Australia’s Melissa Cunningham, Great Britain’s Lewis Pugh, and Great Britain’s Nick Adams.
Ned Denison received the Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award.
The Honour Administrator includes Fiji’s Dennis Miller and American coach Don Watson.
Honour Organisations include the Midmar Mile from South Africa and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation from Great Britain.
A Certificate of Merit was issued to the Open Water Swimming Committee of the Indonesian Swimming Federation.
A Pioneer Swimmer recognized by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame was Rose Pitonof.
ISHOF Finalists included David Yudovin, Mercedes Gleitze, and Dale Petranech.
The names of the honourees, along with 250 other great achievers and outstanding contributors in sport of marathon swimming, will be inscribed on the SEA GODDESS, the official trophy on permanent display at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Their formal induction will take place during the annual International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame ceremonies. In 2011, the ceremonies were held in the United Nations Building in New York City. In 2012, the ceremonies were held on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.
Copyright © 2012 by World Open Water Swimming Association