Open Water Swimming Man of the Year

Ballycastle SDLP Councillor Dónal Cunningham is asking the local community to get behind South African swimmer Wayne Soutter in the online vote for the 2012 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Nov 2012, 13:47 BST

“The prestigious award is to honour the individual who best embodies the spirit of open water swimming, and possesses the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and has most positively influenced the world of open water swimming during the year. If anyone has displayed this attributes it is Wayne Soutter,” said Cllr Cunningha,.

“Wayne (PICTURED RIGHT) became the first person to swim from the Mull of Kintyre on the west coast of Scotland to Kinbane on the North Antrim coast.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was a 20.2 km swim that had been attempted before in the 1920s, but this course had been buried in the annals of history because it was considered too hard, practically impossible, and preposterously unreasonable.

“The tides and currents in this stretch of water were unthinkably difficult.

“Wayne fundraised exclusively for local Charity Community Rescue Service and this is our chance to repay his courage and generosity.”

“For his 12 hour 11 minute crossing of the North Channel, and for his audacious dream realised, for ignoring assumptions and convention, Wayne Soutter would be a worthy winner of the title 2012 WOWSA Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.”

To vote for Wayne go to http://www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com/2012-wowsa-man-of-the-year-nominees/