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World Open Water Swimming Awards

*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***

Contact: Steven Munatones, Administrator

Phone: +1 (714) 305-7374
Email: headcoach@openwatersource.com

January 1, 2011 – Among the millions of open water swimmers around the world, the winners of the
annual World Open Water Swimming Awards clearly stood out – and were honored by for their exploits
in 2010.

Marcos Díaz of the Dominican Republic, Anne Marie Ward of Ireland and the six California men of the
Ventura Deep Six were recognized by their peers in a global poll for their courage and
accomplishments in the cold, rough water where they faced marine life and outrageously difficult
obstacles. The WOWSA winners were selected for (1) embodying spirit of open water swimming, (2)
possessing the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for,
and (3) most positively influencing the world of open water swimming in 2010.

Marcos Díaz – 2010 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year

The pride of the Dominican Republic circled the globe and won over the hearts of many between May
and September in a unique set of swims. On behalf of the United Nations Millennium Development
Goals, Díaz not only completed five challenging solo swims, but also created bridges between people
of various ages, cultures and backgrounds in his unprecedented Swim Across the Continents project
through his athletic pursuits, charismatic personality, humanitarian vision and ability to move wizened
politicians and wide-eyed children.

With an incredible drive, entrepreneurial spirit and motto, "One Man - Five Continents - Many Voices",
Díaz brought significant global attention to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals that supported
his swims from Papua New Guinea (Oceania) to Indonesia (Asia) (20 kilometers in 4:18), from Yemen
(Asia) to Djibouti (Africa) (18.6 kilometers in 4:55), from Spain (Europe) to Morocco (Africa) (22
kilometers in 2:41) and from Alaska (North America) to Big Diomede Island, Russia (Asia) (5
kilometers in 1:05).

Anne Marie Ward – 2010 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year

The North (Irish) Channel is renowned for being the toughest channel swim in the world - cold, rough,
filled with jellyfish and fraught with unpredictably rough water and schizophrenic weather. But the
North Channel was also site to the tenacious efforts of 44-year-old Anne Marie Ward, a singularly
determined Irish woman who never lost sight of her goal until she reached the other side.

Ward, an unlikely endurance heroine, joined one of the world’s most elite and exclusive marathon

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swimming clubs – eleven members of the North Channel club. Her never-say-never 18 hour 59 minute
effort - on her fourth attempt - courageously ended in darkness at 3:35 am.

With successful swims across the English Channel and North Channel under her belt, Ward completely
reversed her previously unhealthful lifestyle – an inspirational story in itself – and is now considered to
be one of the world's most accomplished cold-water channel swimmers. Starting humbly and simply
with a two-mile charity swim years ago, she gradually improved and set her sights on larger goals,
always sought improvement and was deservedly recognized by her peers for reaching the pinnacle of
her sport.

Kieran Fitzgerald recalls, "During her first attempt in August, she swam for four hours in darkness in
horrendous jellyfish conditions. She was swung with over two hundred stings and had to be
hospitalized."

Ventura Deep Six – 2010 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year

The Ventura Deep Six was Beamonesque in its open water swimming relay in the Pacific Ocean. Six
teammates from Ventura, California, U.S.A. shattered the existing world record relay and swam 202
miles (325 kilometers) along the rugged California coast during the coldest winter on record.

Tom Ball, Kurtis Baron, John Chung, Jim McConica, Jim Neitz and Mike Shaffer overcame intense
fog, cold water that got as low as 13°C (56°F), large ocean swells, tremendous chop for four straight
days, gigantic pods of playful dolphin and flesh-eating fish while swimming non-stop for 101 hours
and 39 minutes (4 days, 5 hours and 39 minutes), constantly rotating in one-hour segments in a
traditional English Channel relay format.

Their training and logistical planning in organizing their escort flotilla, including the 135-foot mother
ship, that safely guided them in the open ocean, were essential to their success and help create the
unique conditions for one of the most difficult relay swims in history.

These honorees are representative of the everyday heroes and heroines in the open water throughout the
world and will be honored on June 19th in New York City at the 2011 Global Open Water Swimming
Conference that runs from June 16 – 19.

About the World Open Water Swimming Awards

The WOWSA winners are annually voted upon via an online poll at Open Water Source and are
selected among dozens of nominees for (1) embodying spirit of open water swimming, (2) possessing
the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and (3)
most positively influencing the world of open water swimming in 2010.

For more information, visit www.openwatersource.com, call Steven Munatones at +1 (714) 305-
7374 or email headcoach@openwatersource.com.

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World Open Water Swimming Awards – Voting Results

The 2010 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year – Final Tally
1. Marcos Diaz, Swimmer (Dominican Republic) 77.18% (10,626 votes)
2. Ventura Deep Six Relay, Relay Swimmers (USA) 7.87% (1,083 votes)
3. Chad Ho, Swimmer (South Africa) 4.29% (590 votes)
4. Nino Fazio, Swimmer / Promotor (Italy) 3.35% (486 votes)
5. Dave Barra, Swimmer (USA) 3.04% (418 votes)
6. Ned Denison, Swimmer /Administrator (Ireland) 2.27% (312 votes)
7. Chris Palfrey, Swimmer (Australia) 0.6% (83 votes)
8. Valerio Cleri, Swimmer (Italy) 0.44% (61 votes)
9. Lewis Pugh, Swimmer/Environmentalist (Great Britain) 0.33% (45 votes)
10. Petar Stoychev, Swimmer (Bulgaria) 0.2% (27 votes)
11. Michael Oram, Pilot (Great Britain) 0.18% (25 votes)
12. Captain Earl Sandvik, Pilot (USA) 0.09% (12 votes)

The 2010 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year – Final Tally
1. Anne Marie Ward, Swimmer (Ireland) 47.36% (2,558 votes)
2. Ana Marcela Cunha, Swimmer (Brazil) 28.74% (1,552 votes)
3. Linsy Heister, Swimmer (Netherlands) 10.39% (561 votes)
4. Jackie Cobell, Swimmer (Great Britain) 3.43% (185 votes)
5. Barbara Held, Swimmer (USA) 3.35% (181 votes)
6. Penny Palfrey, Swimmer (Australia) 2.24% (121 votes)
7. Angela Maurer, Swimmer (Germany) 1.72% (93 votes)
8. Eva Fabian, Swimmer (USA) 0.7% (38 votes)
9. Freda Streeter, Coach / Motivator (Great Britain) 0.65% (35 votes)
10. Diana Nyad, Swimmer (USA) 0.63% (34 votes)
11. Sue Oldham, Swimmer (Australia) 0.5% (27 votes)
12. Mighty Mermaids, Swimmers (USA) 0.3% (16 votes)

The 2010 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year – Final Tally
1. Ventura Deep Six, Relay Swimmers (USA) 19.91% (2,183 votes)
2. Swim 22, Relay Swimmers (USA) 14.91% (1,635 votes)
3. Marcellus Wiley, Advocate (USA) 13.64% (1,496 votes)
4. Vojislav Mijic, Promoter / Organizer (Serbia) 7.29% (799 votes)
5. Jamie Patrick, Swimmer (USA) 6.99% (767 votes)
6. Marcelo Collet, Swimmer (Brazil) 5.57% (611 votes)
7. Spyridon Gianniotis, Antonios Fokaidis and Kalliope Araouzou, Swimmers (Greece) 5.33% (584
votes)
8. Miguel Vadillo, Swimmer (Mexico) 5.24% (575 votes)
9. Mexican American Unity Swim, Relay Swimmers (Mexico/USA) 3.77% (413 votes)
10. Alex Meyer, Swimmer (USA) 3.64% (399 votes)
11. John Van Wisse, Swimmer (Australia) 3.03% (332 votes)

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12. Finy Fichera, Swimmer (Italy) 1.97% (216 votes)

13. Ian van der Hulst, Swimmer (Netherlands) 1.94% (213 votes)
14. Stephen Redmond, Swimmer (Ireland) 1.78% (195 votes)
15. Chloe McCardel, Swimmer (Australia) 1.7% (186 votes)
16. Philippe Croizon, Swimmer (France) 1.15% (126 votes)
17. Rachel Golub, Patricai Sener, Cristian Vergara, Swimmers (USA/Chile) 0.83% (91 votes)
18. Rob Dumouchel, Swimmer / Documentarist (USA) 0.46% (50 votes)
19. Lewis Pugh, Swimmer (Great Britain) 0.42% (46 votes)
20. Penny Palfrey, Swimmer (Australia) 0.39% (43 votes)
21. Damme-Brugge Race, Organizers (Belgium) 0.05% (5 votes)

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