Gosh Josh, Raising Up To The Challenge
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. At the 2015 inaugural Surf Lifesaving Sports Festival in Beesley’s Point Sea Doo, Beesley’s Point in New Jersey, Josh Shadel was a star.
“People are still talking about the experience. Josh, one of our spinal athletes, did the 250-meter open water swim completely unassisted backstroke,” reported event organizer Bruckner Chase. “He then went on to compete in 3 paddleboard heats beating a few non-challenged athletes.
I will be focusing my efforts on developing this program with challenged athletes against the backdrop of surf lifesaving sports. There will be 2-3 of these events in New Jersey next year and I have received requests from Florida to Texas to hold similar events that enable physically disabled athletes to compete side-by-side with other ocean athletes.”
The events included a 250m ocean swim, 350m paddle, 600m surfski/kayak, swim-paddle solo, swim-paddle relay, and the grueling Ocean Hero Challenge (a solo and relay race that includes a continuous Paddle, Swim, SurfSki, Paddle, Swim, and SurfSki).
Copyright © 2015 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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