What Is It Like To Be A Madswimmer?
Courtesy of Jean Craven of Madswimmer, in a group tandem swim of 29 swimmers crossing 25 km in Lake Malawi near the borders with Mozambique and Zambia. Jean Craven is on to something.
Given his varied aquatics background as a competitive swimmer, a water polo player, a biathlete, a stellar Navy diver, and a high-altitude swimmer, it is no wonder his adventures are far and wide.
After Craven flies from South Africa to California in order to complete a cross-border charity swim from California to Mexico tomorrow (called the Pan-American Colibrí Swim or Nado Panamericano Colibrí), he will then return home and continue raising money and organizing three more swims around the world:
* the 3-stage Balearic Island Challenge on September 1st in the Spanish archipelago
* the 30 km Bazaruto Island Challenge on October 28th along the coast of Mozambique
* the sunrise-to-sunset Orange River Dash on November 25th along the longest river in South Africa
Each charitable swimming event by the Madswimmer is a group swim that intends to raise at least R1,000,000 (US$73,700) for its selected charities:
* Operation Smile South Africa
* Bram Fischer Trust
* Children’s Hospital Trust
* The Just The One Foundation
* HospiVision
* Khayelitsha Swimming Outreach Programme
* Arabella Polkinghorne Leadership Programme
* Guild Cottage
* Miles for Mercia
* ORT SA Cape
* SAVF
* The Seal Swimming Trust
* Waehuiskrans/Arniston Community Development Trust
* Afrika Tikkun
* Ikamva Labantu.
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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.
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