Spirit Orcas
Spirit Orcas is a group of Special Olympics swimmers who are coached by Susan Simmons.
Contents
Mission
The Spirit Orcas form relay teams that do marathon swims. They have two pods:
- J-pod (long distance group): Drew Sabourin, Aly White, Ben Vanlierop
- K-pod (mid-distance group): Cheyenne Furlong-Goos, Dixon McGowan, Meliah Motchman, Maria Sharock, Lidia White
- L-pod (short distance group): Lisa Newell
Video
Gunboat Channel Swim
The 34 km Gunboat Channel Swim was held in the Great Bear Rainforest in July 2019 with Ben Van Lierop, Dixon McGowan, Drew Sabourin, Cheyenne Furlong Goos, Maria Sharock, Aly White, and coach Susan Simmons.
The Great Big Swim
The Great Big Swim is an 8-week 80 km stage swim from Brentwood Bay to Esquimalt Lagoon in Canada to raise funds for COVID Relief in July - August 2020 with Cheyenne Furlong Goos (nicknames Chey or Cheybee), Meliah Motchman (nickname Madame Butterfly), Maria Sharock (nickname Pizza), Aly White (nickname Flipper), Dixon McGowan (nickname Dixonator), Drew Sabourin (Drewsie), Ben Vanlierop (nickname Benny), Lidia White (nickname Lidster), Susan Simmons, and Jasmine Kremer.
Greg Hind, Maria Sharock, Dixon McGowen, Drew Sabourin, Meliah Motchman, Lisa Newell completed a 15 km in 12°C water around South Pender Island in British Columbia, Canada on 23 June 2025, coached by Susan Simmons.
External links
- Spirit Orcas Complete Another Unprecedented Relay
- What Is The Great Bear Rainforest?
- Spirit Orcas Complete An Unprecedented Relay Around North Pender Island
- The Spirit Orcas Prepare for a 30 km Circumnavigation Swim Around Pender Island
- Reconnaissance of Future Open Water Swims in British Columbia
- Spirit Orcas Swim With Humpbacks Through The Lama Passage
- Spirit Orcas J-pod
- Spirit Orcas K-pod
- Swimming with the Spirit Orcas
- Spirit Orcas Complete A 21 km Marathon Swim
- Little Touches Go A Long Way In The Open Water
- Supporting The Spirit Orcas
- #SwimGift, Sharing by Susan Simmons
- Sawatsky On Swimming By Meliah Motchman
- Motchman Determined and Persistent to Complete a Marathon Swim
- Swimming Ever Since With The Spirit Orcas
- Spirit Orcas Discuss Tackling Challenges On WOWSA Live
- The Great Big Swim With The Spirit Orcas
- Susan Simmons, Gordon Giesbrecht, Brian Hunt On Cold Water Swimming
- The Great Big Swim Is On Stage 4
- Spirit Orcas Begin Their Long Journey
- Spirit Orcas
- Victoria swimmers train for challenge of a lifetime
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
