Dan Simonelli’s Marathon Swim Story

If you’ve done the Catalina Channel, you’ve likely heard of, met, or had our guest, Dan Simonelli, as you kayaker! In 2015, Dan received the MSF Streeter Award for Service to Marathon Swimming, and in fact has supported over 200 marathon swims as either coach, crew chief, support crew, or kayaker. A testament to his own marathon swimming pursuits, in 2016 Dan received the MSF Barra Award for Most Prolific Year, the same year that he commemorated the anniversary of the first crossing of the Catalina Channel, a swim tale that he shares in this episode.

Enjoy!

In his own words:

I grew up swimming on summer swim teams. I started swimming regularly in the ocean while I was in the Marine Corp stationed at Camp Pendleton. I subsequently worked as an Ocean Lifeguard for several years while going back to college.

Then after many years out of the water, I started swimming again in 2009 when a friend coaxed me into joining their team for the La Jolla 10 Mile Relay, and I’ve just kept swimming since then.

In 2012 I founded Open Water Swim Academy as I had noticed a demand from people wanting to experience swimming in the open water but needed guidance. As my own swimming progressed to going longer and training for channel swims and other marathon swims, my coaching and support of others’ swims continued to grow as well.

I’ve since supported over 200 Marathon swims in various roles: coach, crew chief, support crew or kayaker.

Some of my swims include SCAR twice, English Channel, Catalina Channel twice, other various relays and solo swims around the other CA Channel Islands and many other places such as Hawai’i, San Francisco, Florida, New York, Mexico, Italy, England.

I think the swim I’m most proud of is my second Catalina Channel which I did in January 2016 to commemorate the anniversary of the first crossing on Jan 16, 1927, becoming the second person to do so.

I’ve been the La Jolla Cove Swim Club President since 2012. I’m a voting Board member of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation, and a member of the voting panel for the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.