The World’s Greatest Female Open Water Swimmers to Inspire Scotland
Press Release / 21.08.2014
A Who’s Who of the world’s greatest female open water swimmers have been confirmed as keynote speakers for the 2014 WOWSA Global Open Water Swimming Conference, being staged on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, from 20 to 21 September.
The seven brave, talented and mentally strong women are renowned for achieving at the highest level. They will share their passion for the sport in its many forms withinspirational and informative speech topics that include swimming at 0°C, preparation for the English Channel, The Oceans Seven Challenge and motivation techniques for endurance swimmers.
Three speakers will represent the UK and Ireland. Colleen Blair, from Aberfeldy, Perthshire, who was the first woman to swim The Pentland Firth, the stretch of water betweenOrkney and the Scottish mainland, will educate the open water community on the rich history of the sport in her native Scotland. Sally Minty-Gravett, the President of the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club, has successfully crossed the English Channel five separate times and is one of the most trusted, experienced, capable coaches and motivators in the sport. She will share her top motivational techniques for marathon swimmers. Nuala Moore, from South West Ireland, counts a six swimmer relay round Ireland in 35 swim days and a five day Beiring Strait swim relay amongst her top achievements. This has given her ample experience for a talk on the mindset needed for swimming 1000m at 0°C.
From the highly competitive arena of the sport comes Shelley Taylor-Smith from Australia. She counts seven consecutive world professional marathon swimming championship titles and 15 World marathon swim records to her name. She will be joined by Dr. Penny Dean (USA), one of the greatest ever marathon swimmers who smashed the English Channel record by an hour in 1978 and set a total of 12 records in her illustrious career.
Anna-Corin Nordin (Swe) was the first female in history to swim the Oceans Seven (English Channel, North Channel, Catalina Channel, Tsugaru Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Cook Strait, and Molokai Channel); and Kimberley Chambers (NZ), a former ballerina who nearly lost her leg before turning to swimming for rehabilitation, is now on track to complete the Oceans Seven challenge, are part of the six strong panel in a round table discussion on Swimming the Oceans Seven.
The two-day conference, taking place at the stunning neo-gothic mansion of Mount Stuart, provides the perfect platform for the luminaries of the sport from across the globe to join together with those with an enthusiastic interest and to share and learn the latest trends, techniques and tactics for training, racing and race organisation in the areas of open water swimming, marathon swimming, triathlons and other endurance events.
The conference also includes a hall of fame induction ceremony, an awards lunch and a 2k open water swim in Stravanan Bay.
For more information on the 2014 WOWSA Global Open Water Swimming Conference at Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute from 20 to 21 September; and to book your place go to: http://www.vigourevents.com/#!
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