Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
The Zombie Patrol [shown above] are a pod of seriously minded, good-natured teenagers from San Diego, California who laugh and joke around as young athletes do – and they have come up with some clever nicknames for themselves. The nicknames are in line with the nicknames of their coaches and teachers Dan Simonelli (Swimonelli) and Cheryl Zak (Joan of Arch).
The kids are following in the wake of a number of colorful champions, powerful personalities and charismatic characters in the open water swimming world with similarly some clever nicknames:
*The Seaweed Streak: Murray Rose (Australia)
*Mad Adam: Adam Walker (Great Britain)
*Tiburón: Victor Contreras (Chile)
*The Swimming Hun: Gábor Molnár (Hungary)
*The Flying Frenchman: Sylvain Estadieu (France)
*Lighthouse Larry: Larry Herlth (USA)
*The Duke: Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaii)
*Father of Surfing: Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaii)
*Napa Bob: Bob Roper (USA)
*Catalinator: Hank Wise (USA)
*Big River Man: Martin Strel (Slovenia)
*Fish man: Martin Strel (Slovenia)
*Homem Peixe (Portuguese): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
*Pez humano (Spanish): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
*Zabca (Slovene which means frog): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
*Maladin (Chinese): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
*Shark of Quilla Creek: Pedro A Candiotti (Argentina)
*Paddlin’ Professor: Dr. Harry Briggs (USA)
*Carpayo: Daniel Eulogio Carpio Massioti (Peru)
*Doc: James Counsilman (USA)
*El Sharko: Christopher Blakeslee (USA)
*Trento: Trent Grimsey (Australia)
*Crocodile of the Nile: Abdul Latif Abou Heif (Egypt)
*American Torpedo: John Kinsella (USA)
*The Machine: John Kinsella (USA)
*Big Moose: Norman Ross (USA)
*Black Shark: Ernest Vierkoetter (Germany)
*Flying Dutchman: Herman Willemse (Netherlands)
*The King: Claudio Plit (Argentina)
*The King: Paul Asmuth (USA)
*The King: Diego Degano (Argentina)
*Queen Shelley: Shelley Taylor-Smith (Australia)
*Nadandolibre: Jose Diaz (Spain)
*Shark man: Eric Shargo (USA)
*Mambo: Gerry Rodrigues (Trinidad & Tobago/USA)
*Johnny Love: Patrick Dodd (USA)
*Gold Medal Mel: Mel Stewart (USA)
*Torpedo Tom: Tom Blower (Great Britain)
*Chuckle: Tim Buckle (Great Britain)
*Moreno: Juan Ignacio Martínez Fernández-Villamil (Spain)
*Seaweed Streak: Murray Rose (Australia)
*The Iceman: Sam Silver (USA)
*Iceman: Thomas McGann (USA)
*Dr. Rip: Rob Brander (Australia)
*Dolphinman: Paolo Eros Cerizzi (Italy)
*HHector: Héctor Ramírez Ballesteros (Spain)
*Limbless Waterman: Craig Dietz (USA)
*Tuna: Charles Chapman, Jr. (USA)
*Swimming professor: Frederick Cavill (Australia)
*Mighty Mermaids: Christie Plank Ciraulo, Nancy Steadman Martin, Lisa Bennett, Jenny Cook, Karen Farnsworth Einsidler and Tracy Grilli (USA)
*Dorado: Horacio Iglesias (Argentina)
*Yifter: Steven Munatones (USA)
*Mr. Shark Bait: Herbert Voigt (Australia)
*Stallion: John Chung (USA)
*Killer: Ky Hurst (Australia)
*The Legless Wonder: Charles Zibelman (USA)
*American Legless Wonder: Charles Zibelman (USA)
*The Human Fish: Charles Zibelman (USA)
*Bones, Skeletor, or PDK: Sean Ryan (USA)
*Joner: Jonathan Strauss (USA)
*The Man Who Can Walk On Water: George Freeth (USA)
*Father of Modern Surfing: George Freeth (USA)
*Brainiac: Brian Ryckeman (Belgium)
*Shark: Brian Ryckeman (Belgium)
*Big Ben: Ben Laughren (USA)
*John Rufwater: John Makinson (USA)
*The Shark: Jim Dreyer (USA)
*The Brave Swimmer: Gideon Nasilowski (Namibia)
*Superfly, Leorganizer, Lorla: Leora Dahl (Canada)
*Tiger Twins: Jonathon di Donato and James di Donato (USA)
*Dr G: Genadijus Sokolovas, Ph.D. (USA/Lithuania)
*Mr. Triathlon: Ahmed Zaher (USA)
*Mr. Triathlon: Jack Weiss (USA)
*The Courtesy Man: Jim Moran (USA)
*Humber King: Pete Winchester (UK)
*The Shingle Stomper: Barrie Wakeham (UK)
*The Fearless Frogman: Paul Boyton (Ireland or USA)
*The Flying Fish: Byron Summers (USA)
*Stubby: Harold Herman Kruger (Hawaii)
*Incomparable Water Comedian: Harold Herman Kruger (Hawaii)
*Spooky: Luke Birch (Great Britain)
*Loneswimmer: Donal Buckley (Ireland)
*Dama del Río de la Plata: Noelia Petti (Argentina)
*Little Mermaid: Swapnil Yadav (India)
*Sister Madonna: Madonna Buder (USA)
*Iron Nun: Madonna Buder (USA)
*Champ of the Gulf Coast Waters: Jerry Kerschner (USA)
*America’s Travelin’ Swim Coach: Jerry Kerschner (USA)
*Professor of Swimming: Frederick Cavill (UK/Australia)
*Dolphin Boy: Hank Wise (USA)
*Dr. Chicken: Dr. Joel Saperstein (USA)
*Man of Fat Steel: Kelly Gneiting (USA)
*Fatman: Kelly Gneiting (USA)
*The Mother of Masters Swimming: June Krauser (USA)
*Sexy Lexie: Lexie Kelly (USA)
*Honey Bear: Jeff Commings (USA)
*Swimonelli: Dan Simonelli (USA)
*Mermaid: Rebecca Sandoval (USA)
*Mountain Mermaid: Eney Jones (USA)
*Squirt: Rendy Lynn Opdycke (USA)
*Charley: Charlotte Samuels (USA)
*Heff: Dave Heffernan (USA)
*Queen of the Chichimaun: Colleen Shields (Canada)
*Old Man of the Sea: Ned Barnie (Scotland)
*The Barge: Jim Barber (USA)
*Reptile Brain: Tom Linthicum (USA)
*Murph: Michael Renford (Australia)
*El Bawtiah (female crocodile): Suhir El Ba’i (Egypt)
*Nile Crocodile: Mohammed Zeytoun (Syria)
*Syrian Torpedo: Mohammed Zeytoun (Syria)
*King of the Prison Island Swims: Jacques Tuset (France)
*Magoo: Mark Smitherman (USA)
*Wandi: Christof Wandratsch (Germany)
*Pinoy Aquaman: Ingemar Patiño Macarine Full (Philippines)
*Iceberg: Michael Hufton (UK)
*The Swimming Grandfather: William Sadlo, Jr. (USA)
*Piaf: Edith van Dijk (Netherlands)
*The Swimming Professor: Professor Dr. Andreas Fath (Germany)
*Happy Helen: Helen Lin (USA)
*Duke: Marvin Nelson (USA)
*Captain Bubbles: Patsee Ober (USA)
*Jappy: Jabez Wolffe (UK)
*Aquatic Aussie: Luke Tipple (Australia)
*Father of Swimming: Leroy Sparks (USA)
*Queen of Midmar: Keri-Anne Payne (GBR)
*King of Midmar: Chad Ho (South Africa)
*Dukan’s Dolphin: Alireza Jaff – Shwan (Iraq)
*Popsicle: Zach Irvine (USA)
*Squeaky: Faith Irvine (USA)
*K-Po: Kaylee Kussman (USA)
*Sweats: Matt Georgy (USA)
*Sonar: Diana Linney (USA)
*Shortcut: Paul Lindberg (USA)
*The Machine: Maddy Israel (USA)
*Soup: CJ Fotinos (USA)
*Honey Badger: Lauren Weinreb (USA)
*Joker: Wesley Metcalfe (USA)
*Lotus: Parth Desai (USA)
*Turbo: Noah Rowan (USA)
*Mantis: Betzi Lindberg (USA)
*Joan of Arch: Cheryl Zak (USA)
*Swimonelli: Dan Simonelli (USA)
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