2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Nominees
Courtesy of World Open Water Swimming Association, Huntington Beach, California.
WOWSA Awards
World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year
1. André Wiersig (Germany)
2. Evan Morrison (USA)
3. Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy)
4. Henri Kaarma (Estonia)
5. Jaime Lomelin (Mexico)
6. Joe Zemaitis and John Zemaitis (USA)
7. Julian Critchlow (UK)
8. Nejib Belhedi (Tunisia)
9. Paul Eugen Dorin Georgescu (Romania)
10. Pedro Rego Monteiro (Brazil)
11. Ronnie Wong (Hong Kong)
12. Ryan Stramrood (South Africa)
1. André Wiersig (Germany)
André Wiersig has followed up his Oceans Seven achievement with all kinds of positive dryland activities. After encountering dolphins, whales, sea lions and jellyfish in his channel swims, Wiersig became an ambassador for the German Ocean Foundation. His mission is to teach life lessons to others, including how to live an adventurous, eco-friendly life. After his Oceans Seven success, he co-created the beautiful hardcover book with incredible photography (called Nachts Allein Im Ozean, Mein Weg durch die Ocean’s Seven or Alone in the Ocean at Night, My Way through the Ocean’s Seven) together with Erik Eggers and Dennis Daletzki. He also co-produced the audio CD Ein Mann des Meeres: André Wiersig erzählt sein Schwimmen durch die Ocean’s Seven (or A Man of the Sea: André Wiersig Tells of his Swimming through the Ocean’s Seven) with Erik Eggers and Klaus Sander. For helping to motivate and inspire others as a German icon of extreme stamina, for serving as an ocean advocate, and for leveraging his Oceans Seven success via a book, public speeches, television appearances, and a CD, André Wiersig is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
2. Evan Morrison (USA)
American marathon swimmer Scott Zornig once predicted that Evan Morrison would be the most important person in the history of marathon and channel swimming. His prediction has come to fruition. Morrison’s influence and, in fact, dominance over the global open water swimming community is not due to his track record as a swimmer, but primarily as one of the co-founders of the Marathon Swimmers Federation. Over the last 8 years, he has demanded transparency and carefully peer-reviewed documentation in the sport. This year, as one example of his underlying focus on accuracy, he redefined the distance of the most iconic waterway in the open water swimming world: the English Channel. For redefining the English Channel distance as established for decades by the Channel Swimming Association (21 miles) and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (33.52 km) to 32.3 km, for maintaining and constantly fine-tuning the LongSwims Database, and for being the globally acknowledged authoritative voice in the marathon swimming community, Evan Morrison is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
3. Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy)
As a reigning Olympic pool swimming champion, only Grant Hackett has ever attempted to add marathon swimming to his repertoire in 2008. But 2016 Rio Olympic gold medalist Gregorio Paltrinieri is proving himself capable of exceeding Hackett’s goals and setting himself up to achieve the exceedingly difficult Mellouli Double – or winning Olympic medals in both pool swimming and marathon swims in one Olympic Games. But with great implications for the future for swimmers of all levels, Paltrinieri is getting faster in both the pool and in the open water at the same time, a feat previously thought impossible by pool coaches. For breaking the 1500m freestyle European and Italian national records, clocking 14:33:10 at the 2020 Sette Colli Trophy in Italy in the second fastest 1500m in history in a year of training cut short by the pandemic, for qualifying and simultaneously training and preparing for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, 800m and 1500m freestyle pool events at the Tokyo Olympics, and for being open, realistic, and positive about his chances and dreams for achieving the Mellouli Double in Tokyo, Gregorio Paltrinieri is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
4. Henri Kaarma (Estonia)
5. Jaime Lomelin (Mexico)
6. Joe Zemaitis and John Zemaitis (USA)
Joe and John Zemaitis could not be more similar and more alike. In a year like no other, the two brothers from Arizona took to the seas, rivers and lakes from coast to coast during their off times. And swim they did, in warm and cold, tranquil and turbulent. Older brother Joe and younger brother John bring two totally different approaches to the sport: one is intense and diligent, the other is laidback and swims whenever. They both smile broadly and laugh frequently; they both enjoy adventures and love travel. They set a goal when both their work schedules allow and did 644 km worth of tandem swims in 2020. For their tandem swims across Monterey Bay, Lake Tahoe, Santa Barbara Channel, twice around Manhattan Island, for Joe’s 112 km solo Roosevelt Lake swim in 47 hours 23 minutes, for the boundless joy and goodwill and appreciation they have for others and the sport, brothers Joe and John Zemaitis are worthy nominees for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
7. Julian Critchlow (UK)
Besides crossing the English Channel in 2004, 2014, 2017 and 2019, Julian Critchlow has researched, analyzed and explained the feats of swimmers of all ages and abilities across the English Channel for 16 years. He is analytical like no one else; he patiently and thoroughly documents the details of 2,804 English Channel crossings since 1875. His genius insight on the data enables him to view, present and comment on the English Channel community from both obvious and non-obvious perspectives, about both solo swimmers and relays. For his uncanny, thoughtful, highly inquisitive observations of the English Channel community, for his deep thinking and historical analyses of solo swims and relays across the most iconic waterway of the world, and his comprehensive accuracy in building, maintaining, and sharing the most authoritative English Channel solo and relay swimming database, Julian Critchlow is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
8. Nejib Belhedi (Tunisia)
Nejib Belhedi, a former special operations officer and Lieutenant Colonel, has a long and varied career in the open water. He has been successful as a channel swimmer, cold water swimmer, stage swimmer, boat pull swimmer, extreme swimmer, and a marathon swimmer. While promoting and organizing Ouma events for children and teenagers throughout his native Tunisia, Belhedi has continued to create well-promoted televised marathon swimming events that inspire people from all walks of life and ages to take up their own personal, healthful challenges. For his 47 hour 50 minute record-setting 155 km circumnavigation swim around Djerba Island in Tunisia that was organized by Ajim from the Governorate of Mednine, for generating a tremendous amount of creative publicity and positive inspiration through national television programming, and for accomplishing these feats at the age of 69 years in his post heart surgery life, Nejib Belhedi is a worthy nominee of the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
9. Paul Eugen Dorin Georgescu (Romania)
Paul Georgescu, a 42-year-old multi-talented triathlete, physical therapist, coach, referee, water polo player, and professor at the International British School of Bucharest, took up his newly developed talent as an ice swimmer to an entirely new level. Less than a year after completing his first Ice Mile in 3.02°C water in a pool in his native Romania, he traveled to Hanusse Bay, Antarctica and set an Ice Mile world record in 0.0°C water and 2.0°C air in 22 minutes 44 seconds at the bottom of the world. He then completed the 104 km Iron Gates of the Danube Swim in the middle of the pandemic. In a year of uncertainty and unknowns, Georgescu continues to seek adventures to inspire his students and the next generation, giving them confidence to face challenges with a strength of character and an air of positivity. For continuing to demonstrate a wide range of aquatic talents in cold and warm temperatures including at the Antarctica 2020 International Swim, for inspiring and mentoring swimmers of all ages in his native Romania with a record-setting Zero Ice Mile, and for transforming himself from a water polo player and triathlete to the fastest Zero Ice Mile swimmer in the world, Paul Georgescu is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
10. Pedro Rego Monteiro (Brazil)
With its economy trying to recover from a deep recession, Brazil became one of the hardest hit countries by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a double punch to event organizers, but Pedro Rego Monteiro found a way to continue the largest and most popular ocean swimming series in Brazil, the Rei e Rainha do Mar (King and Queen of the Sea) that he founded in 2013. Monteiro and his staff at Effect Sport worked diligently and creatively to stage the largest ocean multi-race event in Rio de Janeiro under strict safety protocols. The result was an unbridled celebration of communal excitement and athletic competition by thousands of open water swimmers where everyone adhered to strict face masking and social distancing rules. The Copacabana Beach extravaganza, with its music and television audience, was a welcomed change to balance the news of a recession and a pandemic. For his relentlessly positive and creative leadership to maintain a semblance of normalcy and safety among open water swimmers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, for organizing wide media coverage and spectator-friendly courses for the Rei e Rainha do Mar series in various locations in Brazil, for his massively huge promotional turn buoys and practical course solutions in the water and on the shore to host enjoyable events, Pedro Rego Monteiro is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
11. Ronnie Wong (Hong Kong)
Ronnie Wong has always worked hard, starting before he qualified for two Olympic Games in the 1970’s. But in the Year of COVID-19, he had to work especially diligently behind the scenes, making sure that the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim event was not removed from the Olympic calendar as had been rumored. Wong, the chairperson for the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, worked the phones and gathered information and allies from the global open water swimming committee to convince the International Olympic Committee to, at least until the 2024 Paris Olympics, to keep with the only open water swimming event in the Games. For remaining an energetic and influential force while never calling attention to himself in continuing to promote and organize the sport at its highest levels, for working with the organizers of the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympics to navigate the delay of the marathon swim, and for remaining so passionate and objective after over two decades of service to the sport, Ronnie Wong is a worthy nominee of the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
12. Ryan Stramrood (South Africa)
Give Ryan Stramrood a challenge and he will find a way to get it down – or he will push himself to his maximum physical and mental limits, calmly and with humility. Despite the ongoing pandemic, Stramrood achieved his Century Swim of the Robben Island in his native South Africa. By June, he had completed a total of 114 crossings at a 100% success rate over the cold, rough 7.4 km stretch of water between Robben Island and Cape Town. The 5-time Ice Mile swimmer with extreme swims in Patagonia, Russia and Antarctica including the first Ice Mile in -1°C water in the Southern Ocean is a motivational storyteller, writer and speaker who inspires many through his experiences dramatically told. For delivering powerful messages by his sheer force of personality and through his speeches and articles based on mind-boggling extreme swims, for setting the bar at 114 for the most number of Robben Island solo crossings, and for being so versatile, hard-nosed and passionate in his aquatic adventures as a teammate, relay member, second, and solo swimmer, Ryan Stramrood is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
Copyright © 2008 – 2020 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Men of the year Jaime Lomelín for his Cabo Swim.
Boris Nowalski Performance of the year for his Menorca Swim.
5. Some guy swam from Malta to continental Europe (Malta)
7. TBD
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. TBD
11. TBD
12. TBD
2020 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year nominees (12 to be nominated)
1. Caroline Block (USA)
2. Bárbara Hernández Huerta (Chile)
3. Jaimie Monahan (USA)
4. Kyra Wijnker (Netherlands)
5. Alisa Fatum (Germany)
6. Chloê McCardel (Australia)
7. Catherine Breed (USA)
8. Susan Simmons (Canada)
9. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil)
10. Nordin- (Sweden) TBD
11. TBD
12. TBD
2020 World Open Water Performance Performance of the Year nominees (12 to be nominated)
1. Travessia do Leme ao Pontal by Mariana Chevalier (Brazil)
2. Sea of Galilee Perimeter Swim (Israel)
3. Lake Baikail Crossing (Russia)
4. Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli by Arianna Bridi (Italy)
5. HK360Xtreme Challenge by Mayank Vaid (India)
6. TBD
7. TBD
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. TBD
11. TBD
12. TBD
4. Pedro Rego Monteiro (Brazil)
for his organization of the King and Queen of the Sea events in Brazil
5. Some guy swam from Malta to continental Europe (Malta)
forgot his name, need to research
2020 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year nominees (12 to be nominated)
1. Caroline Block (USA)
for her Lake George crossing
2. Bárbara Hernández Huerta (Chile)
for her ice swims
3. Jaimie Monahan (USA)
for her marathon swims including the Quadruple Manhattan Swim
4. Kyra Wijnker (Netherlands)
5. Alisa Fatum (Germany)
6. Chloê McCardel (Australia)
for her English Channel crossings
7. Catherine Breed USA)
for her Monterey Bay record and Catalina Channel crossing with the WR Uberman relay
8. Susan Simmons (Canada)
In an unprecedented challenging year, Susan Simmons stepped up in a huge way, characteristically with her selfless, humble, compassionate demeanor. The 55-year-old from British Columbia shifted her focus from her own marathon solo swimming career to coaching, mentoring and guiding the Spirit Orcas, a group of Special Olympic swimmers who did an 80 km 8-week stage swim in Canada to raise funds for COVID Relief. Despite living with Multiple Sclerosis, she swam every stroke on the way with the Spirit Orcas in addition to encouraging them and celebrating with them. For safely increasing the distance in her second difficult swim with the Spirit Orcas, for positively dealing with MS while shepperding along her swimmers, for safely achieving her goals with Cheyenne Furlong Goos, Meliah Motchman, Maria Sharock, Aly White, Dixon McGowan, Drew Sabourin, Ben Vanlierop, Lidia White, Susan Simmons is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.
9. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil)
for breaking the course record at the 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli and winning the Madeira Island Ultra Swim in Portugal and the Rei e Rainha do Mar Super Challenge in Brazil
2020 World Open Water Performance Performance of the Year nominees (12 to be nominated)
1. Travessia do Leme ao Pontal by Mariana Chevalier (Brazil)
for her Travessia do Leme ao Pontal in 10 hours 6 minutes at the age of 16
2. Sea of Galilee Perimeter Swim (Israel)
The Sea of Galilee Perimeter Swim was a breakout celebration stage swim held in the Sea of Galilee in Israel in the year of a pandemic. 18 Israeli swimmers swam 18.1 km, 15.7 km and 13.4 km during the three-day stage swim held near the entire shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. The unprecedented 48 km cumulative perimeter swim presented logistical difficulties and a large escort crew, but the tandem swim was successful in making all three days, swimming 48 km in total. For initiating another environmental challenge where the theme is to keep the Sea of Galilee clean and safe, for the original vision of Ami Ginsberg to established a new marathon course and offer a celebration of open water swimming , and for all 18 swimmers who showed selflessness throughout, embodying teamwork and experiencing a close camaraderie throughout their three days at sea, the Sea of Galilee Perimeter Swim is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.
3. Lake Baikail Crossing (Russia)
first 50 km 5-person crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia in 15 hours with Oleg Dokuchaev, Maria Chizhova, Pavel Komarov, Eugene Zozulya – 4 are from Vladivostok and Andrey Bugay from Irkutsk.
4. Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli by Arianna Bridi (Italy)
for breaking the 36 km men’s and women’s records at the 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli in 6 hours 4 minutes, only one second ahead of three-time Olympian and 5-time world champion Ana Marcela Cunha in one of the most famous and historic professional marathon swimming courses and competitions in the world. For reaking the overall men’s record by 7 minutes and shattering the women’s record by over 20 minutes, Arianna Bridi broke new ground at the most competitive level among professional swimmers.
5. HK360Xtreme Challenge by Mayank Vaid (India)
for completing the first triple-stage circumnavigation triathlon around Hong Kong Island that started off with an 18 hour 8 minute 45 km HK360 circumnavigation swim around Hong Kong Island
2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year nominees (12 to be nominated)
1. Marathon Swim Stories by Shannon House Keegan (USA)
When COVID-19 hit and pools and shorelines closed as a result, open water swimming coach and mentor Shannon House Keegan took to the Internet. Keegan found a niche and touched many hearts with her new Marathon Swim Stories program. Marathon Swim Stories is a weekly podcast that captures the lives, lifestyles, challenges, training habits, and accomplishments of marathon swimmers and ice swimmers around the world. For establishing a friendly, educational and inspirational corner of the Internet entirely and specifically dedicated to open water swimming in various forms, for serving as an motivational ambassador and experienced coach for a growing number of people from all walks of life, and for providing thousands of enjoyable downloads for open water swimmers to listen, Marathon Swim Stories is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.
2. Rio by Lucas Rivet, starring Anthony McCarley (Brazil & Argentina/Uruguay)
Watching a 60-year-old man swim non-stop for hours on end has never been more dramatic or profound. Lucas Rivet produced a sensational hit with his 33-minute documentary film Rio. Cameras above, below and on escort boats capture Anthony McCarley at his strongest and at his most vulnerable during the 36 km Travessia do Leme ao Pontal and the 39.7 km crossing attempt of Río de la Plata between Argentina and Uruguay. With music and sound effects that pulsate throughout the film, McCarley shares his philosophical well-earned wisdom in a touching one-on-one relationship with the viewer. As the film fluctuates rhythmically between success and failure, teamwork and solitude, joy and fear, sunrise and sunset, McCarley constantly dispenses valuable life advice based on his own experiences and uncommon adventures in the oceans and rivers of the world. For its inspirational message that comes from the heart of a modern-day hero, for its camerawork that fills the screen with immensely powerful images, and for showcasing the strength of a humble adventurer, Rio is a worth nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.
3. Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui (USA)
Why is the most asked question in the open water swimming world. Why did you cross the channel? Why do you swim in 0C water? Why did you swim the marathon? Why do you train so much? Why is also arguably the most difficult question to answer. But Bonnie Tsui pens the most eloquent response in her highly acclaimed book, Why We Swim. She explains the seduction of the water in its various forms – from the frigid cold to the tropical warmth – from myriad perspectives in San Francisco Bay, Japan, and Baghdad. For elevating the joy of swimming and the raison d’être in the water to millions of swimmers and non-swimmers alike, for becoming an Amazon best seller and Time Magazine Must-Read Book of 2020, for sharing her thoughts on how to answer the question ‘why?’, Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.
4. THE PONDS, Still Waters Run Deep by Patrick McLennan and Samuel Smith (UK)
Patrick McLennan and Samuel Smith captured the heart and soul of the swimmers of Hampstead Health, a well-established gathering place in London. The story of these swimmers of all ages and from all walks of life is the subject of their documentary film THE PONDS, Still Waters Run Deep. For over 200 years, the beauty and tranquility of the segregated Men’s, Ladies’ and Mixed Ponds has drawn swimmers to relax, revive and recover from the stress of their dryland existence. For showcasing the confidence and joy of swimmers emerging from the Ponds, for presenting dramatically inspirational cases of resilience and recreation by men and women, and for presenting relatable human stories in the backdrop of a historic pond, THE PONDS, Still Waters Run Deep by Patrick McLennan and Samuel Smith is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.
[note: correct first sentence]
5. Galilee Marathon Swimming Association (Israel)
Galilee Marathon Swimming Association was on a roll. Co-founders Guy Cohen and Eyal Schachner compiled several decades of historical data about widthwise and lengthwise crossings of the Sea of Galilee since 1944. They planned, prepared and promoted the longest and most difficult solo swimming course in Israel in order to meet a growing domestic and international interest. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything came grinding to a hall. But the Association got busy after lockdowns and travel restrictions were lifted and were able to organize and ratify the marathon swims and relays of 34 swimmers. For their energy, wisdom, seriousness that Guy Cohen and Eyal Schachner bring to the sport of marathon swimming, for their meticulous planning and organization of swims in the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea, for their website and resources that they make available to the international community, the Galilee Marathon Swimming Association is a worthy nominee for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.
6. HK360Swim in Hong Kong by Shu Pu (China)
Shu Pu organizes the HK360Swim, a 45 km circumnavigation swim around Hong Kong Island and the HK360Xtreme Challenge
7. New York Open Water by David Barra, Rondi Davies, Alex Arévelo (USA)
8. Kosatka DV with Oleg Duchuchaev (Russia)
for organizing relays in Far East Russia and offering a winter swimming club and marathon swims in the summer including the 75 km Amur River Relay, the 160 km Peter the Great Gulf Swim in the Sea of Japan, and the 75 km Russky Round Circumnavigation Swim around the island of Russky. For serving as the chief of the Olympic committee of Primorsky region of the Russian Federation, supported by the authorities of the Primorsky region and Irkutsk region and Russian Winter swimming association.