Dan Simonelli, whose nickname is Swimonelli , is an American open water swimmer , observer , and support paddler from San Diego, California who is the Founder and Director of Open Water Swim Academy , ( OWSA ) as well as the race director of the Scripps Pier-To-Cove Swim and coach of The Zombie Patrol . He is a voting Board member for the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation and a member of the voting panel to decide the honourees of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame . He won the 2015 Service to Marathon Swimming Award, given by the Marathon Swimmers Federation and organizes the SAA Catalina event. He has completed two Oceans Seven channel crossings and is a Lifetime Member of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation and the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association ..