The incomparable James Pittar will hold his annual charity swim for The Fred Hollows Foundation on September 28th.
From channels around the world and around Manhattan Island to across the Rottnest Channel and from Robben Island, Pittar is a prolific swimmer inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honour Swimmer in 2009.
He became the first blind swimmer to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. He also works for the Rainbow Club Foundation which teaches disabled kids how to swim.
“I swim from Long Reef beach to Shelley Beach and then have 48 other swimmers swim back to North Steyne Beach near Manly and the 48 swimmers have to raise AUS$1000 for The Foundation,” describes Pittar of his charity swim.
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.