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Theo Schmeeckle
Theo Schmeeckle is a 54-year-old American open water swimmer and member of the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association that was nominated for the 2013 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year for its far-forward thinking in the sport of marathon swimming.
He grew up in Washington State where he started competitive swimming at the age of seven. He was a four-year college letterman in swimming and graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Idaho. His first job upon graduation brought him to California where he continued swimming and participated in some open water events. He is a member of The Deep Enders.
Contents
Open Water Swimming Career
- He has completed several long open water swims including the Semana Nautica six-mile ocean swim and Seal Beach Rough Water Swim as well as been a pace swimmer on multiple Anacapa Channel swims.
- In the summer of 2013, he made a solo attempt to swim across the Anacapa Island channel and Santa Cruz Island channel as part of a relay.
- He has been an observer on several Catalina Channel and Channel Islands and Anacapa Island swims.
- He trains in the pool and ocean with the Ventura County Masters, home of the legendary Ventura Deep Six Relay.
- He was a member of the Live Bait relay team.
- He competed in the the 2017 Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival.
- He participated in the 2013 Fear No Pier challenge.
Video
Ventura Deep Enders from San Nicholas Island to San Pedro
Courtesy of Lynn Kubasek of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association
The Deep Enders relay swam from San Nicolas Island to San Pedro, California on 12-13 October 2015 on an unprecedented 112.8 km crossing of 33 hours 37 minutes 26 seconds. Coached by Theo Schmeeckle, the team comprised of Zach Jirkovsky, Jim McConica, John Chung, Stacey Warmuth, Tom Ball and Tamie Stewart. Escort kayakers and support crew included Allen Ball, Jill Ball, Bob Howell, Patty Howell, Pam Jirkowsky and Carol Lacy. The Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association observers were Lynn Kubasek and Jax Cole. The swim was guided by Bottom Scratcher with captain Greg Elliot, Craig and Danny.
MSF Calendar
Schmeeckle took the February photograph in the 2015 MSF Calendar.
January: Anthony McCarley, English Channel. Photo by Roger Taylor.
February: Santa Barbara Channel. Photo by Theo Schmeeckle.
March: Ted Erikson at Promontory Point, Chicago. Photo by Louise LeBourgeois.
April: Sarah Thomas at The Arc, USA. Photo by Ken Classen.
May: Underway at Lake Willoughby, USA. Photo by Phil White.
June: Grace van der Byl at MIMS 2014, USA. Photo by John Humenik.
July: Navigation, Lake Pend Oreille, USA. Photo by Andrew Malinak.
August: Suva off Cap Gris Nez, English Channel. Photo by Zoe Sadler.
September: Applegate Lake 10K Start, USA. Photo by Peter Ray.
October: Bethany Bosch & Guri at Lake Willoughby. Photo by Phil White.
November: Round Christiansborg, Denmark. Photo by Samuel Tyson.
December: Nightswimming, Ireland. Photo by Donal Buckley.
SBCSA Lifetime Members
Schmeekle is a lifetime member of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association:
- Rami Aramis (2007)
- Vic Anderson (2013)
- Herb Barthels (2012)
- Howard Burns (2014)
- John Chung (2012)
- Nick Caine (2011)
- Jane Cairns (2013)
- Emilio Casanueva (2006)
- Ned Denison (2006)
- Cherie Edborg (2012)
- Sylvia Glenn (2014)
- Carol Hayden (2014)
- Peter Hayden (2014)
- Ken Hintz (2014)
- Monica Jones (2014)
- Lynn Kubasek (2010)
- Paul Lewis (2008)
- Michelle Macy (2013)
- Anthony McCarley (2014)
- Jim McConica (2007)
- Michelle Premeaux McConica (2013)
- Dean McNeil (2011)
- Darren Miller (2012)
- Bob Needham (2013)
- Tina Neill (2011)
- Jim Neitz (2011)
- Forrest Nelson (2011)
- Michelle Poole (2014)
- Kelley Prebil (2014)
- Julian Rusinek (2013)
- Theo Schmeeckle (2013)
- Ingrid Schmitz (2014)
- Walter Bean Scott (2012)
- Ellen Shockro (2012)
- Seth Streeter (2006)
- Scott Tapley (2013)
- Dave Van Mouwerik (2013)
- David Yudovin (2012)
- Scott Zornig (2009)
by swimmers Ned Denison, Liz Fry, and Fionnuala Walsh, escorted by Ben Pitterle, fed by Barbara Flanagan, and observed by Theo Schmeeckle and Lynn Kubasek
External links
- Remembering Lynn Kubasek with Her Legacy in the California Channel Islands
- Around The Piers Across California: Fear No Pier 2.0
- Swim From The Island of the Blue Dolphins
- Roll On With Adam Skolnick Finding Purpose
- Survivors Fear No Pier Down The California Coast
- The First Attempt From San Miguel To Santa Rosa
- Pleasure, Pain, Passion And Purpose Of Marathon Swimming
- Peter Hayden's Anacapa Circumnavigation + Crossing
- New Convenience Online Offered In Santa Barbara
- Going Off With The Deep Enders
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- 2015 WOWSA Awards - Performance Of The Year Voting
- Trio Tandem Completes Anacapa Circumnavigation
- Watery Winter Wonderland In The Northeast Kingdom
- Inheriting And Sharing A Beautiful Smile In The Open Water
- Piers Of The California Coast
- Marathon Swimmers Federation
- The Swimmers Of 2015
- Live Bait And Aged Chum In Open Water
- Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association
- Facebook page for DRIVEN
- Are You DRIVEN?
- Peer-to-Peer Pressure From Pier-to-Pier
- Anacapa Relays Swim With A Fin In The Water
- Marathon Swimming
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- I Got Stung
