2020 World Open Water Swimming Association Award Winners

MALIBU, Calif., Feb. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) is proud to announce the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Association award winners. The WOWSA Awards are an annual selection of the most remarkable individuals, performances and offerings in the global open water swimming community from the year 2020. 

59 nominees from 27 nations were chosen from the thousands of heroes and heroines in the sport. They embody the sense of adventure, tenacity, perseverance for which open water swimming is known.  The 2020 WOWSA Awards winners were selected by a global online poll. A total of 71,628 votes were cast, resulting in the following winners:

• Nejib Belhedi, Man of the Year (Tunisia) 

Completed a 47 hour 50 minute circumnavigation swim of 155 km around Djerba Island in Tunisia in a televised event that has inspired millions across the MENA region. 

• Bárbara Hernández Huerta, Woman of the Year (Chile) 

Completed the 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and completed an unprecedented 7.5 km high-altitude swim across Chungará Lake in the Andes Mountains in 10°C water at 4,517m altitude.

• Kamil Resa Alsaran, Performance of the Year (Turkey) 

Crossed the tidal Bristol Channel and the Original Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (North Channel + English Channel + Bristol Channel)

• Oleg Dokuchaev, Offering of the Year (Russia)

For managing the renowned swim club in eastern Russia that trains swimmers for extreme swims and open water adventures with a mission of supporting marine conservation. 

"Each of these 59 nominees is very special. We have old and young swimmers, coaches, pilots, ice swimmers, authors, filmmakers, and organizers who have all positively impacted the sport in their own creative ways during the COVID-19 year where the sport grew exponentially due to pool closures," says WOWSA founder Steven Munatones. 

About WOWSA We educate, entertain, and enthuse those who venture beyond the shore. WOWSA is an international association dedicated to the organization, promotion, and recognition of open water swimmers.

For further information and photos of the winners, visit: https://www.openwaterswimming.com/final-voting-results/

Press Contact
Steven Munatones
WOWSA Founder
[email protected]
+1 (714) 305-7374

SOURCE World Open Water Swimming Association

Related Links

https://www.openwaterswimming.com/