Bill Welzien, Believe It Or Not
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
The local Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum in Key West, Florida is interested in making a display about Bill Welzien‘s marathon swimming career that includes 87 total 12.5-mile (20.1 km) circumnavigation swims around Key West and his two Sea of Galilee swims (double width swim in 2015 + single lengthwise swim in 2009).
Welzien has been steadily chugging towards history’s longest Century Swim, only 13 marathon swims away from his 100th open water swim in the same venue.
On December 29th 2016, Welzien completed his most recent circumnavigation (#87) in 6 hours 12 minutes in the typically warm waters (77.5°F/25.2°C) and steady winds (5-10 mph) around the most southern point of the state of Florida, escorted by kayaker Jeremy Smith [shown above].
Copyright © 2016 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.
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