Haley Shapley Discusses Strong Like Her On WOWSA Live
Sponsored by KAATSU Global, Huntington Beach, California.
Strong Like Her. A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers and Unstoppable Athletes is a new book by journalist Haley Shapley of Seattle, Washington.
In her first book, Shapley shares stories of various female athletes with larger-than-life characters and historic achievements that were mind boggling and record-shattering. She tells the history of female strength to understand more profoundly how the physical power, stamina, endurance and creative vision of women can be encouraged and celebrated from the early 20th century to contemporary times. Among the many athletes she highlights in the book, one chapter tells of the lives and accomplishments of four celebrated open water swimmers Annette Kellerman, Rose Pitonof, Gertrude Ederle and Jaimie Monahan.
Strong Like Her was nominated for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year. Shapley discussed her book on today’s WOWSA Live.
The annual WOWSA Awards are sponsored by the World Open Water Swimming Association and serve as an annual public recognition of the best in the world’s open water swimming community. There are four categories:
* World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year
* World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year
* World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
* World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year
“The mission of the World Open Water Swimming Association is to educate, enthuse and entertain those who venture beyond the shoreline,” says Steven Munatones. “There were 22 nominees from 11 countries for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year. In a year unexpectedly wracked with government closures, mandates, stay-at-home orders, lockdowns and quarantines, the number of organized swimming events fell dramatically. But the open water swimming community did not cease to exist. Rather, open water swimmers not only got busier on dryland, but also shorelines around the world got more crowded with more people venturing out into the open water. During this past crazy year, swimmers got very creative and produced a larger-than-normal number of books, films, virtual swims, podcasts and all kinds of online properties. It certainly was a year like no other.
Over the history of the WOWSA Awards, established in 2008, the World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year winners are represented by individuals who clearly and passionately educate, enthuse and entertain others who venture beyond the shoreline with their innovative products and services.”
The annual winners of the World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year include:
2012: SWIM Channel, produced by Patrick Winkler of Brazil
2013: International Ice Swimming Association, founded by Ram Barkai of South Africa
2014: Step Out Of The Ordinary Blue Letter Campaign by Pádraig Mallon and Camlough Lake Water Festival in Ireland
2015: World Ice Swimming Championships in Murmansk, Russia by the International Ice Swimming Association
2016: Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim event in Turkey
2017: Sea Donkey, a film by James Harrison with Adrian Sarchet in Guernsey
2018: Icebears Hintertux by Josef Köberl of Austria
2019: Travesía Interminable by Antonio Argüelles of Mexico and Adam Skolnick of the USA
The 2019 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year Travesía Interminable (or its English-language edition, The Forever Swim) is an example of the purpose of the WOWSA Awards. The World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year is meant to identify unique products, services, events and organizations that:<br/><br/>
(1) best support and assist open water swimmers achieve their goals
(2) are innovative, unique and beneficial to open water swimmers, race directors, coaches or administrators
(3) have made the most positive impact on the world of open water swimming during the calendar year
Munatones added, “This year, the number of 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year nominees was increased due to the uptick in creativity and production of all kinds of innovative services and products.” The 2020 nominees include the following:
2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year Nominees
1. Antarctica 2020 International Swim by Ger Kennedy (Ireland: vote here)
2. Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Australia: vote here)
3. Der Mensch Als Fisch – Die Abenteuer von Otto Kemmerich friesischer Schwimmpionier by Erik Eggers (Germany: vote here)
4. Galilee Marathon Swimming Association by Guy Cohen and Eyal Schachner (Israel: vote here)
5. I Swim And Travel Around The World by Yasu Fukuoka (Japan: vote here)
6. It’s Not About The Swim Webinars By Nuala Moore (Ireland: vote here)
7. Kosatka DV by Oleg Dokuchaev (Russia: vote here)
8. Mallorca Open Swim by Boris Nowalski (Spain: vote here)
9. Marathon Swim Stories by Shannon House Keegan (USA: vote here)
10. Maratona Aquática. Das Piscinas As Aguas Abertas O Guia Definitivo Do Treinamento Para Nadadores E Triatletas by Diogo Zoppi (Brazil: vote here)
11. NOAA National Weather Service “Wave Safe With Bruckner Chase” Series (USA: vote here)
12. OceanFit by Andre Slade (Australia: vote here)
13. Ocean Grease by Edward Beck (Australia: vote here)
14. Open Water Virtual Grand Slam by Mark Johnston (USA: see here)
15. ORCA SW Smart Wetsuit by Orbea (Spain: vote here)
16. RIO with Lucas Rivet and Anthony McCarley (Argentina/Brazil/USA: vote here)
17. Splash! 10,000 Years of Swimming by Howard Means (USA: vote here)
18. Strong Like Her. A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers and Unstoppable Athletes by Haley Shapley (USA: vote here)
19. Swim.com App by Spiraledge (USA: vote here)
20. THE PONDS, Still Waters Run Deep by Patrick McLennan and Samuel Smith (UK: vote here)
21. Wave Warrior by Matt Wild (UK: vote here)
22. Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui (USA: vote here)
To vote for the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year, visit here.
For more information on the WOWSA Awards, visit here.
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