Forrest Nelson

From Openwaterpedia

Forrest Nelson is an American channel swimmer and is a Renaissance Man in the discipline of marathon swimming. He is a member of the board of directors of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. A personable graduate of MIT, a member of the 24-hour club and successful syndicated radio show writer, he is president and member of the board of directors of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. He possesses the smarts and savvy to intelligently analyze a swim before, during and after at a level rarely seen in the open water swimming world.

He was recognized and spoke at the 2012 Global Open Water Swimming Conference and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on the RMS Queen Mary on 22 September 2012 in Long Beach, California.

He has assisted on dozens of Catalina Channel crossings including that of Team Tripod, Stephen Redmond, and Hank Wise.

Contents 1 Marathon Swimmer 2 Observer 3 WOWSA Award Nominee 4 External links

Marathon Swimmer

Nelson is not only a nominee for the 2011 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year and member of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (English Channel + Catalina Channel + Manhattan Island Marathon Swim), but he has also done several other marathon swims of note, including the following:

• a Kaulakahi Channel crossing from Kauai to Niihau
• a Tsugaru Channel crossing from Honshu to Hokkaido
• three Molokai Channel crossings - achieved in both directions
• a 23-hour double-crossing of the Catalina Channel
• a 48-mile 25 hour 35 minute circumnavigation of Catalina Island (world record)
• the first Catalina-California Mainland-Catalina crossing by a male
• a December crossing of the Catalina Channel
• a Cook Strait crossing
• 24 miles at the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim
• Anacapa Island-California Mainland in the Santa Barbara Channel Islands (his second swim of the Southern California Eight
• Palilolo Channel, starting on Maui

He was also a member of the six-member HTC Relay team with Tina Neill (captain), Emily Evans, Steve Lowe, and Kent Nicholas that set a new course record of 25 hours 48 minutes from a swim from San Clemente Island, around the western edge of Catalina Island, to the Southern California mainland at Cabrillo Beach on 25 July 2012. The HTC Relay broke the record of the Swim for Hope relay for the 52 statute mile channel swim.

Observer

Nelson also unselfishly volunteers to be an escort crew member and official Observer on a number of solo swims and relays from the Catalina Channel to the Santa Barbara Channel and the Hawaiian Islands. When he is serving in those capacities, he never sleeps or rests no matter how long or rough the swim is. His eyes are always on the swimmer while he frequently consults with the pilot in order to help navigate the optimal course for his athletes. He is the epitome of an ideal support crew member.

WOWSA Award Nominee

External links

• Forrest Nelson Courageous Circumnavigation Around Catalina
• Double Crossing of the Catalina Channel
• Christmas Channel Crossing by Fabulous Forrest
• Forrest Nelson Does Anacapa Island
• Forrest Nelson Across The Molokai Channel
• Courageous Channel Challenge
• Forrest's Day Out
• Oceans 7 Swimmers
• NYC Swim bio
• Catalina Channel Swimming Federation website
• Channel Swimming Association website
• Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming website
• Open Water Swimming website
• Updated 24-Hour Club
• San Clemente Crossed For The Second Time
• Triumph! Tackling Tsugaru Twice
• Open Water Swimming Safety Discussed In Global Conference
• How To Be Safe In The Open Water
• Forrest Nelson Joins Hall of Fame Board of Directors
• 30 Open Water Swimmers Known By One Name
• Anticipating And Dealing With The Cold
• Greatest Feeling In The World Outside Your Comfort Zone
• Ka'iwi Channel Swim, Ready For An Epic Undertaking