I had the pleasure of spending more time with Red Top Swimming co-founder and head coach Tim Denyer.

It is always a learning experience where I sit and appreciate the wisdom and insights that he shares. Yesterday, Coach Denyer and I spoke about the film Don’t Be Prey and Oceans Seven with Ross Chun on Orange County Talk Radio.

With over 250 channel crossings around the world, Coach Denyer and his fellow coach Matt Duggan have years of experience across the channels of the Oceans Seven. These are the dates of their first crossings.

Coach Tim Denyer [shown below on left in both photos]

• English Channel with David Orders in 11 hours 0 minutes on 9 July 2010 with escort pilot Reg Brickell on Viking Princess
• Molokai Channel with Mark Sowerby in 14 hours 23 minutes on 22 June 2022 with escort pilot Mike Twigg-Smith on Stellina Mare
• Catalina Channel with Mark Sowerby in 10 hours 43 minutes on 4 October 2022 with escort pilot Derek Erickson on Magician
• Strait of Gibraltar with Bengisu Avci, Mark Sowerby, Paul Leonard, and Jamie Mackay in 3 hours 24 minutes on 24 April 2023 with escort pilot Cristina Montiel on Guzman Columba
• North Channel with Mark Sowerby in 12 hours 12 minutes on 7 September 2023 with escort pilot Barry Duffy on Aareton
• Cook Strait with Rob Woodhouse in 7 hours 0 minutes on 25 January 2024 with escort pilot Grant Orchard on Katabatic
• Tsugaru Strait with Mark Sowerby in 10 hours 6 minutes on 29 June 2024 with escort pilot Yoshimi Kawayama on Kairyo-maru No,38

Coach Matt Duggan

• English Channel with James Penrose in 13 hours 32 minutes 12 July 2012 with escort pilot Reg Brickell on Viking Princess
• Catalina Channel with James Penrose in 13 hours 44 minutes on 30 July 2013 with escort pilot Greg Elliot on Bottom Scratcher
• Strait of Gibraltar with James Penrose, David Cook, and John DaPrato in 5 hours 4 minutes on 16 October 2013 with escort pilot Antonio Montiel on Columba
• North Channel with Guy Moar in 11 hours 9 minutes on 22 July 2014 with escort pilot Brian Meharg on Ocean Crest
• Tsugaru Strait with Guy Moar in 11 hours 32 minutes on 21 August 2015 with escort pilot Captain Mizushima
• Cook Strait with Jamie Mackay in 7 hours 0 minutes on 25 April 2024 with escort pilot Grant Orchard on Katabatic
• Molokai Channel with Joanne Norman in 14 hours 15 minutes on 1 March 2026 with escort pilot Mike Twigg-Smith with Stellina Mare

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