The Most Influential Personalities in Open Water Swimming from 1950 to 2020

Who are among the most influential open water personalities in recent history? Who are considered impactful legends, unsung heroes, humble heroines, and overlooked historic figures in the sport? Everyone has their favorite personalities and icons in the sport of open water swimming.

Any list of The Most Influential Personalities of Open Water Swimming is, by necessity, subjective. But it is certainly fun to discuss and debate among open water swimmers, historians, and fans. Below are our choices for The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World between 1950 and 2020. This list does not focus on swimmers as athletes, but rather coaches, escort pilots, administrators, event directors, referees, crew members, authors, documentary filmmakers, database creators, promoters, and historians.

This selection of The Most Influential Personalities of Open Water Swimming is based on four criteria:

1. Promoters - individual who market the sport as writers, filmmakers, or public relations experts
2. Organizers - individuals who serve to set up and carry out events or organize championships
3. Administrators - or individuals who set up structures and entities to organize series, governing bodies, or function as referees, seconds or observers
4. Coaches - individuals who teach and provide guidance to swimmers and other members of the community

This list does not include swimmers who are listed here (at The Best Open Water Swimmers from 1950 to 2020):

The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 1950's

> Sir William Edmund Butlin, Great Britain
> Martin Bédard, Canada
> John Slater, Great Britain
> Trevor Smith, Great Britain
> James Toomey, USA
> Major General Ahmed Zorkani, Egypt
> Sam Rockett, Great Britain
> Captain Leonard Hutchinson, Great Britain
> Right Honourable Captain William J. Long, OBE, Great Britain
> Thomas Watch, Great Britain [shown above]

The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 1960's

> Commander Gerald Forsberg, OBE, Great Britain
> William Forrest "Buck" Dawson, USA
> George Duthie, Canada
> Bryan Finlay, PhD, Canada
> Joe Grossman, USA
> Jim Moran, USA
> Ray Scott, Great Britain
> Conrad Wennerberg, USA
> Audrey Scott, Great Britain
> Jerry Nason, USA

The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 1970's

> Coach Don Watson, USA
> Jim Cotton, USA
> Peter Bales, South Africa
> Reg Brickell Sr., Great Britain
> Mickey Pittman, USA
> > Roger Parsons, Great Britain
> Francis 'Frank' Richards, Great Britain
> Michael Read MBE, Great Britain
> Susanne Guesdon, Australia
> Billy Wallace, Ireland

The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 1980's

> Drury Gallagher, USA
> Carl Walker, Great Britain
> Vicko Šoljan, Yugoslavia
> Monier Sabre, Egypt
> Lynn Blouin, Canada
> David Clark, USA
> Dr. Tim Johnson, DPS, PE, USA
> Val Parsons, Great Britain
> Sri Chinmoy, India
> Penny Lee Dean, PhD, USA
> Lynne Cox, USA

The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 1990's

> Ronnie Man Chiu Wong, BBS, JP, Hong Kong
> James Whelan, USA
> John Whitehead, Australia
> Lello Barbuto, Italy
> Maurice Ferguson, Great Britain
> Christopher Guesdon, Australia
> Dale Petranech, USA
> Dr. Jaroslav Novák, Czech Republic
> Berry Rickards, Australia
> Marty Veen, Netherlands

The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 2000's

> Sid Cassidy, USA
> Luciano Cotena, Russia
> Jim Anderson, USA
> Ricardo Continentino Ratto, Brazil
> Dennis Miller, Fiji
> Wayne Riddin, South Africa
> Philip Rush, New Zealand
> Richard Broer, Netherlands
> Ethel 'Sunny' Lowry, MBE, Great Britain
> Rafael Gutiérrez Mesa, Spain
> Simon Murie, Great Britain
The Most Influential Personalities in the Open Water Swimming World during the 2010's

> Ram Barkai, South Africa
> Colin Hill, Great Britain
> Beth Yudovin, USA
> Mariia Yrjö-Koskinen, Finland
> Ned Denison, Ireland
> Forrest Nelson, USA
> Julian Critchlow
> Professor Morrie Chiang, Taiwan
> Henri Kaarma, Estonia
> Evan Morrison, USA
> Pedro Rego Monteiro, Brazil
> Phil White, USA
> Kent Nicholas, USA
> Colin Hill, Great Britain
> Lewis Pugh, South Africa

Ned Denison, chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, notes, "Many of these individuals are honorees of the IMSHOF."

By Steven Munatones.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and Editor of the KAATSU Magazine. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), Dale Petranech Award for Services to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (2022), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007 and 2010), and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984, awarded to the senior whose interests are not bounded by academic or institutional structures. A joyous, deeply-rooted affirmation of life, disdain for the purely conventional; a love of adventure, and desire to learn by experiencing; the ability to respond creatively to difficult situations). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee (until 2011) and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, a 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff including 4 FINA World Championships, and 2008 NBC Olympic 10K Marathon Swim commentator.