Andrew Ress from Wales started his swimming career in the pool as he competed from the Great British deaf swimming team in the 1990s.
But over the last 18 months, Ress was focused on the open water with the goal of crossing the English Channel.
He completed his goal on late Sunday night with the typical determination and resolution that characterizes Channel swimmers.
Despite jellyfish, tides, winds and turbulence caused by increasingly strong winds, Ress endured to finish the crossing in 15 hours 14 minutes. What was especially inspirational about his crossing was the fact that of the 11 escort boats on the English Channel that day, only one other boat with a relay successfully completed a crossing.
Escorted by Andy King, Ress raised money for the Great Britain Deaf Swimming team to help them compete at the 2017 Deaflympics.
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.