Why hundreds of thousands around the world were going for a little dip in the ocean on New Year’s Day – basically running in quickly, splashing about and then enjoying the experience and the many after stories with friends and family after seconds or minutes in the water – Rob was doing a legitimate 4-hour, against-the-current, lumpy-and-bumpy 10K marathon swim in 53°F (12°C) water off the central coast of California.
By the looks of the photos of Rob, it was a one-man affair with the ocean.
But Rob was not the only man with Mother Nature on this swim: he not only had an experienced team of observers and fellow open water swimmers with him, he also had LiveSwim.net film, broadcast and archive the entire swim – a technological marvel available to any other swimmer or open water event
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.