Susan Moody (Barcelona, Tiburon CA) is a founding member of Swim4Good.  Sooz joined the YMCA swim team in Winston-Salem, NC at age 6, where she swam competitively and by age 9 she was the state champion in 50 fly. At age 17 she was ranked nationally in 200 fly with a 2:06 time at nationals. She swam for Princeton University 1990-1994, period during which the team remained undefeated and was captain in 1993-1994 and led Princeton to win the Easterns two years in the row. Susan completed a Strait of Gibraltar solo swim in July 2013.  She is also a member of Night Train Swimmers, a team of San Francisco Bay Area extreme open water swimmers who work together to improve the lives of people around the world by raising money for various non-profit organizations. In June 2014, she participated in a 6 swimmer relay swim to attempt to cross the Sea of Cortez (162km), a joint swim between Night Train Swimmers and Swim4Good.

Emily Kunze (Barcelona). A founding member of Swim4Good, Em started swimming competitively at the age of 5 and a few years later began winter training at the Summit YMCA (NJ). Emily swam 2 seasons for the Kenyon College, where both the Men’s and Women’s team held Division III NCAA consecutive titles. During her last year on the Kenyon team she was named to the Academic All American National Team and swam on the 400 freestyle relay making a conference record. Emily completed a Strait of Gibraltar solo swim in July 2013.

Mauricio Prieto (Barcelona). A founding member of Swim4Good, Mau started swimming on a regular basis at Cal in 1993. He has been active in open water swimming since 1999. In the last couple of years he has completed a dozen 10km+ open water solo swims, including Lanzarote-Fuerteventura (17.5km), Strait of Gibraltar (18km), and Bridge to Bridge (Golden Gate to Bay Bridge). His company, eDreams, is a sponsor of Marnaton, an organization whose mission is to popularize the sport of long distance open water swimming in Catalonia. He was named one of the 101 Movers And Shakers In The Open Water Swimming World by the Daily News of Open Water Swimming. In June 2013, he will participate in a 6 swimmer relay swim to attempt to cross the Sea of Cortez (162km), a joint swim between Night Train Swimmers and Swim4Good. In 2014 he completed the English Channel in a 3 person relay.  In 2015, he was one of 6 people in a relay who were the first to swim the length of the Costa Brava- setting a record in continental Europe.  Mau’s Openwaterpedia page

Alberto Compte (Barcelona). Until a few years ago, I would have never imagined that I would be as intensively dedicated to open water swimming as I am today.  It all started in 2011 as a simple form of entertainment.  A way to be active while on a family vacation in Formentera.  It was there that I discovered swimming and since then, it has become an important part of my life.  The beginnings were intense. That same year, and never having swum more than 2km, a great friend of mine challenged me to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar, which I did in June 2012.  Since then, and after meeting Mauricio (in the ocean, of course), Susan, and a large number of good friends that shared a passion for the open water, I have completed a multitude of medium and long distance swims: 2 editions of the Marnaton Cup (6km – 11km), Ibiza 11km, Formentera 11 km and Port de la Selva – Cadaqués 20 km.  From now, and with Swim4Good, we’ll see what comes. As my friend Miguel Rahola says, “what’s important is not the finish line, it’s the road that takes you there”.

Antonio Argüelles (Mexico City).  Toño holds several records, such as being the seventh person in the world to complete the Triple Crown of open water swimming, and being the third person in the world to do so in just one season, and the first person to do it twice. He is also a member of the famous Half Century Club. Antonio has dedicated most of his life to promote sports and an active lifestyle among the Mexican population. He has worked mostly on governmental affairs, including informatics, education, and commerce. Antonio’s Openwaterpedia profile. 

Christian Puentes Jurado (Barcelona). Swimming for me started when I was very young as a solution “for that very active kid with a quite particular bone structure”. As of 7 years old, my life was going from school to the pool to competitions. I competed in butterfly and IM in the Catalan and Spanish championships until I was 18 years old. My open water swimming was limited to early season training and participation in some classic swims such as Travesía de l’Estany de Banyoles and the Travesía al Port de Barcelona, where I got a 6th place finish.  As of 18 years old, I moved away from pool competition but kept contact with the pool as a coach.  As a result for my passion for the ocean, I started participating in a variety of ocean swims on the Catalan coast. In 2012, I swam across the Strait of Gibraltar.  Then came other long distance swims such as  Port de la Selva-Cadaqués (22km), MARNATON Formentera (10km.) La Bocaina (17km.). On April 2014, I was one of the 4 swimmers to swim the 4 Marnaton events (22 kms) in a period of 12 hours.

David Galceran (Barcelona). Swimming has always been a language I could understand. Water, sea..words I could recognize as my own, silences where I feel joy at every stroke. As a storyteller in a digital agency I firmly believe that life is all about sharing what you live. Amateur triathlete for short and long distances, I am regular pool competitor for several distances and have accomplished several editions of the Marnaton Cup (4 to 11Km seasonal courses), 3 editions of Sitges Port Ginesta 11Km, I Formentera – Illetes 11Km, I Port Selva Cadaques 20Km, and attempting Strait of Gibraltar in April 2014. Let’s Swim4Good!

Damian Blaum (Argentina, Barcelona). I started swimming because I had asthma as a kid and the doctor recommended it to my parents. At the beginning, I only competed in the pool.  At 15 I started swimming open water, and I have not stopped since.  I enjoy everything related to open water, competing against rivals, against myself, against nature.   Swimming in the ocean is where I am able to find myself.  Up to the present, I’ve only swam competitively, but in the future I hope to be able to swim in some of the world’s most important swims with the objective of helping those that most need it.  World Champion in 2013, Second in the World in 2007/2009/2010/2012, represented Argentina in the Beijing Olympic games (21st in 10 KM).  I am currently studying Marketing in distance learning. Damian’s Openwaterpedia profile

Donal Buckley (Ireland). I am  an Irish open water who lives and swims on Ireland’s south-east Copper Coast. I came late to open water swimming and prize my English Channel solo above all. I am the writer of the award winning blog LoneSwimmer.com, which according to Mauricio’s Mini-poll in 2013 is the most trusted single-author open water blog in the world. I am also the founder of marathonswimmers.org (the most trusted site) and co-author of the Global Rules of Marathon Swimming, intended to support the sport and assist swimmers and new organisations with a regulatory framework. I like helping people with what I can.The most important thing about all this stuff, is it’s meant to be fun and helping is always fun. Donal’s Openwaterpedia profile. 

Esther Núñez (Barcelona, Argentina). My relationship with open water started around 1997, when I first competed in 25km.  I enjoyed very much the experience, the solitude and the personal growth hour by hour.  Since then, I have not stopped searching for those moments, and that is why I continue in this sport. I have been World Champion of Marathon Swimming FINA GP in 2007 and 2012, 2nd in the world in 2010, 2011 y 2013, y 3rd in 2006 and 2008. I have not done a non-competitive crossing, but I would love to have a go at crossings such as Strait of Gibraltar and Gomera Tenerife, maybe with a record time. In the meantime, I continue to compete in GF Fina, and am currently ranked #5 in the world. Esther’s Openwaterpedia profile

Guillermo Sagnier (Barcelona). I am passionate about the sea, I enjoy it in every possible way. I’ve sailed tens of thousands of miles on trans-oceanic crossings, light sailing, cruising regatta, or competing in windsurfing. Since childhood I discovered the underwater world with swimming, apnea and spearfishing. Today, open water swimming has become my most intense relationship with the sea.  I regularly participate in swims with our amazing group of friends crazy for the open water.   My swims include the Strait of Gibraltar, Port de la Selva to Cadaques (22km), the 4 Marnaton crossings in 12 hours and several other of middle and long distance challenges.  I look forward to continuing to discover the sea with every stroke.

Jordi Cañellas (Barcelona). I started swimming when I was 8 years old in school and continued until I was 13. I did well and won some medals in Barcelona and Catalunya championships. I left the water and started playing other sports, including 6 marathons, about 15 triathlons (including Ironman), Titan desert ( 6 days btt in Moroco) etc…. I always swam in the swimming pool but never in the sea. I met Miguel Rahola 9 years ago and he talked to me about Marnaton and his projects in open water. My first time swimming in the sea was in Cadaques with him. Since then, I have swum the 6 Marnatons in Cadaques, Ibiza 11kms, Strait of Gibraltar and other open water races. I’m very competitive and I really like and enjoy swimming in the sea with our colleagues of Marnaton!

Laia del Río Puig (Barcelona). After playing basketball for 12 years, I went on to play waterpolo for the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. From here on, I also started competing in triathlons and this is how I discovered open water swimming.  First, as a component of my triathlons, and then as a standalone sport.   I started competing in more and more short and mid distance swims.  After my father passed away in November 2012, I decided to get into longer distance swims.  In 2013, I participated in the Salou Half Ironman,  MARNATON Formentera (11km) and the Bocaina strait  (17km).

Marcello Rosadini (Mexico) has been in close contact with water most of his life. Played waterpolo as a kid and then became a triathlete and raced competitively for more than 15 years. After moving to Barcelona he’s discovered a new relationship with the sea, mostly thanks to the people in this group! He’s experiencing it from a different perspective and looking for new challenges, hopefully adding his two cents to a worthy cause. He’s raced in triathlon races professionally in several countries and lately has been an active participant in the Catalunya open water scene.

Mark Drendel (Barcelona). My swiming profile would probably best be described as “intermediate/work-in-progress.” I have always loved swimming and watersports, however, and I have spent countless hours in pools and lakes while growing up, working even as a swim instructor and lifeguard before university. But it wasn’t until later in my adult years after living on the Mediterranean sea when I fully came to appreciate swimming, especially open water swimming. After crewing for Swim4Good’s inspiring Gibraltar crossing in 2013 – and thanks to Mauricio’s contagious enthusiasm for the sport – I have now fully embraced this world, and I am currently training to cross the Strait of Gibraltar myself, in May 2014. So am happily on my way to becoming a real swimmer soon and hopefully someday to be worthy of such incredible company here. Watch this space!

Miguel Rahola (Barcelona).  Swimming was one of the multiple sports I did as a child, but I was nowhere near a swimmer specialist. It was training for triathlon when I started to be hungry for long distance swimming. My love for distance swimming started in 2001 when I swam from Cap de Creus to Cadaques  – 6,5 km.  I crossed Gibraltar with 5 colleagues in October 2006 in a fast crossing (3h 19’) helped by a favorable stream. Other significant swims include Bocaina Strait (Lanzarote to Fuerteventura – 14 km) in 2007 and the Coruña Tour (11 km) in Galicia, in 2008.  I also founded MARNATON  (MAR + NATación +marathON) in 2007 with the objective of making open water long distance swimming popular in Catalonia. MARNATON organizes many open water races in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands and we also have daily swim pool practices for all ages and levels.  Together with 3 friends, in April of this year I successfully swam the 4 events of today’s III MARNATON eDreams CUP (Barcelona, Sant Feliu, Begur & Cadaqués) in 13 hours, 6 hours swimming the 22 kms, the other 7 hours on the car or on the boat.

Miki Domenech (28, Barcelona) – Sports enthusiast since the age of 3. Former ski racer, dirt motorbike (Enduro) rider, football player, tennis/padel/squash beginner, sailor, cyclist (MTB and Road), runner, swimmer and triathlon challenger. I started swimming at the age of 5 when my parents made me join the school swimming lessons. From age 8 to 14 I competed at school level.  At the age of 23 I competed in my first triathlon.  I thought that swimming would be like riding a bicycle, and realized that it was tougher than I expected. Several months later I signed up for my first Half Ironman and decided to join Marnaton trainings. With these, I not only discovered open-water swimming competitions, but also how to enjoy the sea from another point of view. I am finisher of Ibiza Ultrateam (12k), Marnaton Cadaques (x3 – 6.5k), Marnaton Sitges (x2 – 10k), Marnaton Begur (7k), Ironman 70.3 Mallorca (x3). On my current to do list: Ironman Austria (2015), Ironman 70.3 Mallorca (2015), Strait of Gibraltar (TBC), Relay swim across English Channel (TBC)??

Nora Toledano (Mexico City).  Nora has made 11 English Channel crossings  (6 solo and 5 relay). She was the first Latin American woman and sixth worldwide to do a double-crossing of the English Channel in 1994, swimming for 23 hours 38 minutes without resting. She has helped, as a consultant and / or trainer to other Mexican swimmers in their English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Manhattan Island and Catalina Island swims. She entered the Hall of Fame of International Swimming in 2007 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Swimming is an activity that I feel passionate about and which allows me to challenge myself and constantly improve myself.   My main circle of friends are in this sport, and with them I share the same passion.” Nora’s Openwaterpedia profile

 Owen O’Keefe (Ireland). My love of swimming began before I was old enough to remember. My grandparents introduced me to the water when I was 6 months old and it wasn’t too long before my grandfather had me swimming in the beautiful River Blackwater in my home town of Fermoy in Ireland. I took up swimming as a sport with Fermoy SC when I was 9 years old. I did alright in the pool but the open water was always my first love. My major swims to date include the English Channel, Straits of Gibraltar, Round Jersey and Fermoy to Youghal. I’ve done lots of open water races too, including a few 10 km races, but my favourites are the ‘Vibes & Scribes’ Lee Swim in Cork City and Marnaton ‘eDreams’ Cap de Creus – Cadaqués. Out of the water, I can sometimes be found on a bike, or even running! I’m also studying for a BSc in Ecology at University College Cork and have an interest in languages, especially Irish. Owen’s Openwaterpedia page

Raza Pérez (Barcelona) I started to swim in Open Waters in some classic races in the Basque Country where middle distance races with over +1000 swimmers have been taking place for more than 50 years. However, it was thanks to Marnaton with the now classic Cap de Creus – Cadaques that I fell in love with swimming in Open Waters. Also, thanks to the Marnaton year round swimming training sessions in Barcelona, I’ve been able to prepare for longer distances and meet many great people. I’m only taking my first steps in the world of open waters but so far I’ve been able to enjoy several middle distance races, 5-7 km , and others like Sitges – Port Ginesta 11Km, Formentera – Illetes 11Km, and Port de la Selva – Cadaques 22Km. I expect to cross the Strait of Gibraltar in 2015.

Richard Ernst (Arizona).  45-year-old doctor originally from Mexico City and now living in Scottsdale, Arizona. Richard was a competitive cyclist in Mexico. He is an Ironman triathlete and avid swimmer who began swimming in open water when living in Puerto Rico. Next June, he will participate in a 6 swimmer relay swim to attempt to cross the Sea of Cortez (162km), a joint swim between Night Train Swimmers and Swim4Good.

Santi Callis (Barcelona). I am passionate about the sport & nature. I started swiming many years ago training for triathlon in Formentera Island, my favourite place on earth and one of the best waters when you can live the feelings of the sea. I discovered open water swimming in the first edition of the Cap de Creus/Cadaqués thanks to Marnaton. From this day I regularly participate in all the open water contests scheduled during the season with some of my swiming mates. In the last years I completed several other of middle and long distance challenges, including Strait of Gibraltar (18km), Port de la Selva to Cadaques (22km), and the Formentera/Ibiza Ultraswim (34km). I am currently training for Capri/Napoli Maratona del Golfo (36km) to be held (“I hope”) in July 2014. I am sure there will be much more to come and enjoy in company of open water lovers.

Sergio Castelnuovo (Barcelona).  I always enjoyed water as a different environment so I started swimming since I was a kid. In 2012 I decided to dive into open water events near Barcelona coast, but in 2013 Marnaton’s 11km Formentera event changed my vision and added a new word to my dictionary: challenge. I am currently training for Illes Formigues-Illes Medes (22km) to be held in June 2014. I am sure there will be much more to come to be enjoyed in great company too!

 Swim4Good Kids