Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

There are a vast number of colorful champions, powerful personalities and charismatic characters in the open water swimming world. They are extroverts; they are introverts. They are male; they are female. They are young; they are veterans. They are pros; they are amateurs.

And some of them have interesting nicknames. Here are a few of these characters and their nicknames:

The Seaweed Streak: Murray Rose (Australia)
Lighthouse Larry: Larry Herlth (USA)
The Duke: Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaii)
Father of Surfing: Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaii)
Napa Bob: Bob Roper (USA)
Catalinator: Hank Wise (USA)
Big River Man: Martin Strel (Slovenia)
Fish man: Martin Strel (Slovenia)
Homem Peixe (Portuguese): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
Pez humano (Spanish): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
Zabca (Slovene which means frog): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
Maladin (Chinese): Martin Strel (Slovenia)
Shark of Quilla Creek: Pedro A Candiotti (Argentina)
Paddlin’ Professor: Dr. Harry Briggs (USA)
Carpayo: Daniel Eulogio Carpio Massioti (Peru)
Doc: James Counsilman (USA)
El Sharko: Christopher Blakeslee (USA)
Trento: Trent Grimsey (Australia)
Crocodile of the Nile: Abdul Latif Abou Heif (Egypt)
American Torpedo: John Kinsella (USA)
The Machine: John Kinsella (USA)
Big Moose: Norman Ross (USA)
Black Shark: Ernest Vierkoetter (Germany)
Flying Dutchman: Herman Willemse (Netherlands)
The King: Claudio Plit (Argentina)
The King: Paul Asmuth (USA)
The King: Diego Degano (Argentina)
Queen Shelley: Shelley Taylor-Smith (Australia)
Nadandolibre: Jose Diaz (Spain)
Shark man: Eric Shargo (USA)
Mambo: Gerry Rodrigues (Trinidad & Tobago/USA)
Johnny Love: Patrick Dodd (USA)
Gold Medal Mel: Mel Stewart (USA)
Torpedo Tom: Tom Blower (Great Britain)
Chuckle: Tim Buckle (Great Britain)
Moreno: Juan Ignacio Martínez Fernández-Villamil (Spain)
The Iceman: Sam Silver (USA)
Dr. Rip: Rob Brander (Australia)
Dolphinman: Paolo Eros Cerizzi (Italy)
HHector: Héctor Ramírez Ballesteros (Spain)
Limbless Waterman: Craig Dietz (USA)
Tuna: Charles Chapman, Jr. (USA)
Swimming professor: Frederick Cavill (Australia)
Mighty Mermaids: Christie Plank Ciraulo, Nancy Steadman Martin, Lisa Bennett, Jenny Cook, Karen Farnsworth Einsidler and Tracy Grilli (USA)
Dorado: Horacio Iglesias (Argentina)
Yifter: Steven Munatones (USA)
Mr. Shark Bait: Herbert Voigt (Australia)
Stallion: John Chung (USA)
Killer: Ky Hurst (Australia)
The Legless Wonder: Charles Zibelman (USA)
American Legless Wonder: Charles Zibelman (USA)
The Human Fish: Charles Zibelman (USA)
Bones: Sean Ryan (USA)
Skeletor: Sean Ryan (USA)
PDK: Sean Ryan (USA)
Joner: Jonathan Strauss (USA)
The Man Who Can Walk On Water: George Freeth (USA)
Father of Modern Surfing: George Freeth (USA)
Brainiac: Brian Ryckeman (Belgium)
Shark: Brian Ryckeman (Belgium)
Big Ben: Ben Laughren (USA)

Copyright © 2013 by World Open Water Swimming Association