Poseidon Award

The International Swimming Hall of Fame The Poseidon Award

The Poseidon Award is presented annually by the International Swimming Hall of Fame to the organization or individual for high level achievement from personal effort or initiative in a field of endeavor that contributes to the performance of marathon swimmers or to the development and status of Marathon Swimming to the world.

Shelley Taylor-Smith

2022

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Shelley Taylor-Smith for her high-level achievement in marathon swimming with the 2022 Poseidon Award.

This year’s award honors Shelley Taylor-Smith. Shelley Taylor-Smith was one of the top elite swimmers of her generation. She won 7 majors (marathon world championships),
set world speed records, beat all the men in 9 races and scored 51 victories in National, Regional and International races.

Shelley was the Honorary Secretary of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and had oversight of the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit, the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series, the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships, the 10km Marathon Swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2012 London Olympic Games. She has been an active coach since 2009, and her swimmers have been successful in 9 solos and 2 relays across the 33 km English Channel and more than 700 solos and relays across the 19.75 km Rottnest Channel.

Finally, Shelley was on the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) Board of Directors from 2011 to 2014 and was one of the most dedicated Honorees in attending the Induction and Awards Ceremonies in 2011 (New York, USA), 2012 (Los Angeles, USA) and 2014 (Bute, Scotland). Her involvement helped IMSHOF establish a successful ceremony tradition. She was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in IMSHOF in 1990. In 2008 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame and also received The Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award.

Jordan Whitney-Wei

2021

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Sarah Thomas for her high-level achievement in marathon swimming with the 2021 Poseidon Award.

The Poseidon Award is presented annually by International Swimming Hall of Fame to the organization or individual for high level achievement from personal effort or initiative in a field of endeavor that contributes to the performance of marathon swimmers or to the development and status of Marathon Swimming to the world. This year’s award honors Sarah Thomas. In 2019, she was the first swimmer to ever complete a 4-way English Channel Swim (132 km in 54 hours and 10 minutes). Additionally, she has completed two other long swims; Lake Champlain (168.3 km in 67 hours and 16 minutes) in 2017 and Lake Powell (128.7 mk in 56 hours and 5 minutes) in 2016. This trio of swims are the top three longest, current neutral swims in history.

In 2017, Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer, for which she underwent aggressive treatment of chemo, surgery, and radiation therapy. Six months following the completion of cancer treatment, Sarah completed the epic Cook Strait swim in New Zealand and six months after that, she finished her 4-way English Channel swim. Her courageous comeback has been an inspiration for many and generated great media coverage for our sport: ESPNw, Sports Illustrated, Inside Edition, Good Morning America, Good Morning Britain, etc.

She was also the Race Director for the unique Cliff Backyard Ultra Marathon Swim (USA) in 2018 and 2019. She was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of
Fame (IMSHOF) in 2018. For her substantial contributions to marathon swimming on the international stage, Sarah has been awarded the 2021 Poseidon Award.

Petar Stoychev

2020

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Petar Stoychev for his high-level achievement in marathon swimming with the 2020 Poseidon Award.

This year’s award honors Petar Stoychev. As a swimmer he has won an unprecedented eleven consecutive FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix titles, with over 60 victories in individual
professional marathon swims, including the 42 km (26-mile) Traversée Internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada, the 36 km (22.5-mile) Around the Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA,
the 32 km (20-mile) Maratona del Golfo – Capri Napoli in Italy and the 57 km (36-mile) Maratón Sante Fe – Coronda, Argentina. He was the 2011 FINA 25km World Champion and has six FINA
World Championship medals. He competed in four Olympics in both the pool and Open Water and was the flag bearer for the Bulgarian Olympic Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Petar was
the first swimmer to cross the English Channel in under seven hours and has set Ice Swimming World Records.

He has served as a swimming administrator/coach for the last 10 years. From 2009 to 2017 on the FINA Athletes Committee, in 2013 as Sports Minister in Bulgaria, a Board Member of the
International Ice Swimming Association, coaching other professional swimmers and Team Manager of his club Levski. He was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) in 2008 and inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Swimming Hall of Fame 2018. For his singular contributions to marathon swimming on the international stage, Petar has been awarded the 2020 Poseidon Award.

Michael P. Read

2019

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Michael P. Read, MBE for his high-level achievement in marathon swimming with the 2019 Poseidon Award.

This year’s award honors Michael P. Read, MBE. As a swimmer he has competed more than 130 epic marathons including 33 crossings of the English Channel. Michael’s first ever swims include a 67 km (42-mile) quadruple-crossing of Lake Windermere. His longest 96.5 km (60 miles) around Isle of Wright in 24+ hours and his coldest 38km (24-mile) Loch Ness in 14+ hours in 6° to 7°C (42.8° to 44.7°F) water. Other International swims include: 40 km (25-mile) Nile International Championship, 40 km (25 miles), Manhattan Island and Lake Zurich. A member of Great Britain’s 1960 Olympic team, he is still active, having completed the Gulf of Toroneos 26km marathon in 2018 and winning the European Masters 5km Championship in 2018.

Read has served as a swimming administrator in one capacity or another for over 60 years. For nearly 45 years he has helped direct the Channel Swimming Association, becoming Chairman in 1993 and President in 2007. During this time the popularity of open water and Channel swimming has exploded.

He was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) in 1978, honored by the ISHOF with the Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award in 2009 and inducted as an Honor Swimmer in 2011. For his singular contributions to marathon swimming on the international stage, Michael has been awarded the 2019 Poseidon Award.

Christopher Guesdon (AUS)

2018

The 2018 Poseidon Award is awarded to Chris Guesdon for his dedication over 56 years to the sport from marathon swimmer to multi-dimensional roles.

His passion is for the further development and recognition of marathon swimming on a global scale. The role which he undertook worldwide. Chris masterminded the design for the Olympic 10 km marathon swim. Fellow Olympic model strategists, Sid Cassidy and Dennis Miller concurred that Chris’s blueprint of a competition distance was vital to fit the Olympic schedule with the model able to use the Olympic rowing course or similar body of water in landlocked countries. Their strategy succeeded after a 104- year absence when marathon swimming re-joined the Olympic Games in 2008. He managed/led national teams and Australian marathon swimmers since 1970 in dozens of renowned swims from 24 Heures La Tuque to the Derwent River Tasmania especially in boats and hands-on. He guided Australia to world dominance from 1988 to 1998 as the Australian Open Water Swimming Teams’ Strategist/Manager and as National Open Water Swimming Committee Secretary. Chris founded the Australian Long-Distance Swimming Federation in 1973, was a Member of the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation, Bureau Member International Long-Distance Swimming Federation 1975-77 and Committee Member FINA’s Open Water Swimming Technical Committee 1996 -2000 He was honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame with the Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award in 2010 and as an Honor Contributor in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) in 2009 where he also chaired the Executive Committee providing the vision and strategy after a significant organizational change.

Steven Muñatones

2017

The 2017 Poseidon Award was awarded to Steven Muñatones for his high level achievements.

Steven Muñatones has been a consistent and profoundly influential athlete and contributor in marathon swimming for over 40 years – as a pioneering solo marathoner, professional racer, coach, administrator, organizer, writer, founder, and thought-leader.

In addition to racing on the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation circuit for two years, Steven completed four first ever, solo epic marathons in Japan: Lake Biwa (42km), Tsugaru Channel two-way (39km), around Yonaguni Island (29km), and the Ishigaki/Iriomote Channel (38km).

Steven’s subsequent contributions to global awareness and interest in marathon swimming are unique and unparalleled. His prodigious coverage through the Daily News of Open Water Swimming has consistently exposed the 1 milers, triathletes and now ice swimmers to marathon swimming events, exploits and heroes. He popularized and marketed the “Triple Crown” branding which has and continues to drive hundreds of goal driven marathoners. Steven invented the “Oceans Seven” branding to provide yet another goal and hugely boost the popularity of the lesser known swims.

He was honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame with the Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award in 2011 and inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) in 2002 where he also contributed in three key areas since 2010. As the unofficial historian he created the first IMSHOF web site and openwaterpedia.com with incredible biographies of honorees and others. Steven moved the Induction Ceremonies from low key lunches to glittering evening galas. Together these have given the IMSHOF a presence and relevance which continues to grow.

Chloë McCardel

2016

The 2016 Poseidon Award was awarded to Chloë McCardel for her high level achievements.

In the single calendar year or 2015, Chloë posted an unprecedented set of marathon swimming accomplishments:

Triple crossing of the English Channel – 36 hours 12 minutes

This has not been accomplished in the previous 25 years. Chloë became the fourth swimmer to accomplish this feat joining IMSHOF honour swimmers: Alison Streeter, Philip Rush and Jon Erikson.

Established record for three English Channel crossings in a week – all under 10 hours.

Chloë has been active in marathon swimming since 2009 with many other noted accomplishments:

Her swim from Eleuratha to Nassau in the Bahamas in 41 hours 21 minutes, a distance of 124 km was the longest, Marathon Swimmers Federation-approved unassisted solo marathon swim in history.

McCardel also won the 2010 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 7 hours 53 minutes.

The Organising Committee of the Global Open Water Swimming Conference

2013

Cork Ireland 2013 led by (left to right) Paschal Horgan and Oswald Schmidt in the front. Other members included Finbarr Hedderman, Ned Denison, Ciaran O’Connor and Captain Tom McCarthy, behind.

The 2013 Poseidon Award was awarded to The Organising Committee of the Global Open Water Swimming Conference – Cork Ireland 2013 led by (left to right) Paschal Horgan and Oswald Schmidt in the front. Other members included Finbarr Hedderman, Ned Denison, Ciaran O’Connor and Captain Tom McCarthy, behind.

The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) Induction Dinner & Ceremonies followed a full day of lectures and presentations. This was the first time the IMSHOF Inductions were held outside of the United States and resulted in a record number of two hundred plus in attendance.

This brought the finest group of swimmers ever to Cork. One young attendee commented to his friend after the induction of Coach Don Watson: “He must have been some coach – the guy introducing him (John Kinsella) flew over from the USA and was an Olympic champion, former world record-holder in multiple events and set the English Channel speed record.”

The awardees are a group of passionate organisers also involved in establishing the Lee Swim and Sandycove Island Challenge Swim as mass participations swims (400+) drawing swimmers from around the world, GaddinAbtGarnish of 3, 5 and 7km, Paddle in the Park 2k, Cork to Cobh 16k and the Cork Distance Week.

As swimmers they logged English Channel solo, double relay and single relay swims plus other marathons around the world.

Following the conference, Inductions and typically short sleeps, the attendees headed down to swim around the famous Sandycove Island which now boasts laps by 117 English Channel solo swimmers.