87 Years In The Making
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
To say Don Korten is consistent is an understatement.
For 44 years, he competed in the Leroy Sparks Goguac Lake Swim, an annual 1-mile open water swimming race held on Willard Beach in Michigan. The race itself has a long history as it first started in 1928.
The event started when local swimming legend Leroy Sparks established a summer swim program for children in Goguac Lake. Coach Sparks is referred to as “the father of swimming in Battle Creek” and gained a national reputation for his swimming and diving programs between 1943 and 1962.
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association 
To say Don Korten is consistent is an understatement.
For 44 years, he competed in the Leroy Sparks Goguac Lake Swim, an annual 1-mile open water swimming race held on Willard Beach in Michigan. The race itself has a long history as it first started in 1928.
The event started when local swimming legend Leroy Sparks established a summer swim program for children in Goguac Lake. Coach Sparks is referred to as “the father of swimming in Battle Creek” and gained a national reputation for his swimming and diving programs between 1943 and 1962.
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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