To educate, entertain, and enthuse all those who venture beyond the shoreline
World Open Water Swimming Federation, a human-powered project
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. We love these photos provided by Daniel Vizeu Costa Couto from Abilio Couto who crossed the English Channel in 1958 and 1959. It was a different era when escorts included rowing boats in addition to escort boats. Ned Barnie (1896-1983) was nicknamed the Old Man of the Sea. The […]
When Rowing Oars Preceded GPS Read More »
Courtesy of Daniel Vizeu Costa Couto who updates the website of Abilio Couto, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer. The International Marathon Swimming Association (IMSA) is a now defunct professional marathon swimming association that was created to promote and support a global professional marathon swimming circuit. It was succeeded by the World
IMSA Started In Paris In 1953 Read More »
Courtesy of Daniel Vizeu Costa Couto who updates the website of Abilio Couto, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer. In the the second edition of the Maraton Internacional de Rio Abierto (also known as the Maraton Nautica Internacional Hernandarias – Parana) held in February 1966, the following professional marathon swimmers participated in
Swimming 88 km Since 1965 Read More »
Courtesy of Daniel Vizeu Costa Couto who updates the website of Abilio Couto, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer. The John E. Fogarty Memorial Distance Swim was billed as the World’s Greatest Marathon Swim in its inaugural race on 24 August 1968 from Narragansett to Block Island in Rhode Island, U.S.A. The
1968 Professional Marathon Swimming In Rhode Island Read More »
Labatt’s History In Open Water Swimming Courtesy of Daniel Vizeu Costa Couto who updates the website of Abilio Couto, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer. The Labatt’s International Ten-Mile Marathon Swim was a professional marathon swim held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is no longer held…unfortunately. The C$3,000 first place prize in
Labatt’s History In Open Water Swimming Read More »
Courtesy of Daniel Vizeu Costa Couto who updates the website of Abilio Couto, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer. The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) was a series of professional marathon swims in Canada that attracted the world’s finest marathon swimmers of its day to compete in a variety of distances in and
1963 Canadian National Exhibition Marathon Swim Read More »
Courtesy of Mackenzie Miller, Long Beach, California. With the first known attempted channel crossing happened in 1939, it was only the beginning of a new era. When Keo Nakama accomplished his crossing of the Ka’iwi Channel in 1969, it was the first official documented channel crossing in Hawaii that would come to draw hundreds of
Bill Goding, Michael Miller Honored In Hawaii Read More »
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Most humans see this sign and turn away from the shore without a second thought. Their decision is the wisest, most prudent thing to do. In contrast, many experienced adventurous open water swimmers, like their open water brethren surfers, immediately think the following while considering the possibilities: 1. Where
Coastal Signs Lead To Questions Read More »
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Of all the events, clinics, camps, seminars, motivational speeches, solo swims and relays that we have observed over the decades around the world, the Ocean City Swim Club and Bacharach Rehabilitation Hospital Swimming and Paddling Unified Team Program stands out and is unforgettable. Becky McGill, Bruckner Chase and Michelle
Bringing Challenged Athletes To The Open Water Read More »
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. George Block is the World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA) and one of the founders of the World Swimming Association (WSA). He and his colleagues aim to replace FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur) as the governing body of swimming (see here). Block asks an important question in his most
Will World Swimming Association Dive Into The Open Water? Read More »