Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Bill “Ciastko” Welzien has completed his 122nd warm-water 20.1 km circumnavigation swim around Key West in southern Florida on May 11th. At 71 years old, he shows few signs of slowing down – in either organizing the annual Swim Around Key West or his own solo efforts swimming around the island.
He started his solo swims around Key West in 1991 and started serving as the race organizer of the Swim Around Key West in 2003. He completed his 100th swim (Century Swim) in May 2018, averaging 6 hours 15 minutes over the course.
Welzien, who was nominated for the 2018 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year, is shown above after his 122nd swim around Key West with kayaker David Welzien in 6 hours 59 minutes.
For more information, visit swimaroundkeywest.com.
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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 KAATSU Research Institute. 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), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff.
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