The world championship for Special Olympians will be a 1.5K race in the Aegean Sea in the city of Marathon (a double-loop course in a protected cove) where over 7,500 athletes are expected to take part in the World Summer Games where the athletes will use the same facilities as were used in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In support of these programs, Special Olympics organizations around the world (in 186 countries) hold fund-raising events. As an example, a series of Polar Bear Swims are being held in northern California.
The Special Olympics of Northern California will organize a Polar Bear Swim in Fort Bragg (Noyo Beach) on February 27th, in Fresno (Millerton Lake) on February 27th, Kelseyville (Lakeside County Park Lake) on February 27th, San Francisco Bay (Crissy Field) on February 27th, Incline Village on March 7th and a Post Plunge Party in south Lake Tahoe (Zephyr Cove) on March 20th
Prove you have acclimated to the cold water in your support of the Special Olympics.
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.