The disciplines of open water swimming, ice swimming, marathon swimming and channel swimming depends on the goodwill and volunteer efforts of observers, escort crew and coaches like Nicole Piha.
Piha is from Thabazimbi, South Africa, but currently lives in Sydney, Australia. Besides her own running and open water career, she also serves in a variety of roles in the English Channel, Robben Island in South Africa, Manhattan Island in America, and swims all over her adopted Australia.
Piha has served as an observer during 15 Robben Island crossings, crewed on 7 English Channel crossings, 2 Manhattan Island Marathon Swims, 2 Catalina Channel crossings, Molokai Channel crossings, Roger Finch and four other’s Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming journey, served as a second for Wyatt Song‘s Ice Mile in Australia, and at the Vlad Swim Cold Water Camp.
“I do a lot of travel for swimming and will be in the UK in September for swims so I can serve on English Channel crossings too.”
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.