Ventura Deep Six

Walkerized Jim McConica doing the Ventura Deep Six relay far off the coast of California in 2010

Kurt Baron swimming alongside the Pacific Monarch in the Ventura Deep Six relay en route on a 202-mile course together with Jim Neitz, Mike Shaffer, John Chung, Tom Ball, and Jim McConica far off the coast of California in 2010 from Ventura to La Jolla

World record setting relay Ventura Deep Six with Tom Ball, Kurtis Baron, John Chung, Jim McConica, Jim Neitz and Mike Shaffer

World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year by the Ventura Deep Six with Tom Ball, Kurtis Baron, John Chung, Jim McConica, Jim Neitz and Mike Shaffer

Ventura Deep Six are six men from the Ventura County Masters Swim Club including Tom Ball, Kurtis Baron, John Chung, Jim McConica, Jim Neitz and Mike Shaffer set the longest non-stop ocean relay record when they swam 202 miles (325 km) from Ventura to San Diego along the California coast in 2010. The effort took 4 days 5 hours 39.53 minutes and was a logistical extravaganza and open water swimming operational milestone.

World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year

Ventura Deep Six was selected as the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year by a global online poll conducted by the World Open Water Swimming Association for its outstanding world record relay swim of 202 miles (325K) along the rugged California coast during the coldest winter on record.

The dual nominees for the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year and the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year were deserving winners for spending 101 hours and 39 minutes on the high seas constantly rotating in one-hour segments in a traditional English Channel relay format. Ball, Baron, Chung, McConica, Neitz and Shaffer overcame intense fog, cold water that got as low as 13°C (56°F), large ocean swells, tremendous chop for four straight days on end swimming among gigantic pods of playful dolphin and flesh-eating fish.

Their logistical planning included organizing an escort flotilla, anchored by a 135-foot mother ship that safely guided them in the open ocean.

Ventura Deep Six is a very special group of teammates from Ventura, California who were honored because they (1) embody the spirit of open water swimming, (2) possess the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and (3) demonstrated some of the most impressive open water swimming performances of the year.

The final vote tally was as follows:

1. Ventura Deep Six, Relay Swimmers (USA) 19.91% (2,183 votes)
2. Swim 22, Relay Swimmers (USA) 14.91% (1,635 votes)
3. Marcellus Wiley, Advocate (USA) 13.64% (1,496 votes)
4. Vojislav Mijic, Promoter/Organizer (Serbia) 7.29% (799 votes)
5. Jamie Patrick, Swimmer (USA) 6.99% (767 votes)
6. Marcelo Collet, Swimmer (Brazil) 5.57% (611 votes)
7. Spyridon Gianniotis, Antonios Fokaidis and Kalliope Araouzou, Swimmers (Greece) 5.33% (584 votes)
8. Miguel Vadillo, Swimmer (Mexico) 5.24% (575 votes)
9. Mexican American Unity Swim, Relay Swimmers (Mexico/USA) 3.77% (413 votes)
10. Alex Meyer, Swimmer (USA) 3.64% (399 votes)
11. John Van Wisse, Swimmer (Australia) 3.03% (332 votes)
12. Finy Fichera, Swimmer (Italy) 1.97% (216 votes)
13. Ian van der Hulst, Swimmer (Netherlands) 1.94% (213 votes)
14. Stephen Redmond, Swimmer (Ireland) 1.78% (195 votes)
15. Chloe McCardel, Swimmer (Australia) 1.7% (186 votes)
16. Philippe Croizon, Swimmer (France) 1.15% (126 votes)
17. Rachel Golub, Patricia Sener, Cristian Vergara, Swimmers (USA/Chile) 0.83% (91 votes)
18. Rob Dumouchel, Swimmer / Documentarist (USA) 0.46% (50 votes)
19. Lewis Pugh, Swimmer (Great Britain) 0.42% (46 votes)
20. Penny Palfrey, Swimmer (Australia) 0.39% (43 votes)
21. Damme-Brugge Race, Organizers (Belgium) 0.05% (5 votes)

Ventura Deep Six on Swimming World TV

Ventura Deep Six is interviewed before and after their world record setting swim by Swimming World TV:

External links

• 2020 WOWSA Awards – World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year Nominees
• WOWSA Awards – World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year
• Jim McConica Reminisces About His Swimming Career On WOWSA Live
• Sarah Thomas Talks About Lake Powell And Marathon Swimming on WOWSA Live
• Official Facebook Group
• World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
• Ventura Deep Six Honored at the United Nations
• Ventura Deep Six Has Landed
• Open Water Swimming
• Jim McConica, A Master Of The Pool And Open Water
• Camaraderie On The High Seas
• Lexie Kelly Changes From High Heels To Flip Flops
• Top 25 Organizations And Groups In Openwaterpedia
• Lovely Lake Powell Lies Waiting For Open Water Swimmers
• Record-setting Relays Rock 'N Roll
• Alexandr Brylin, Grigori Prokopchuk's Diomedes Swim Is 2014 World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year
• The Evolution Of Distance, The Sea Hawks Soar To Record
• Offshore Odysseys On The Increase
• Marathon Swimming
• 1,000 km From Mumbai To Mangalore
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• The California Open Water Swimming Oasis
• When Water Polo And Open Water Swimming Mix
• Margarita Llorens Bagur Wins 2017 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
• WOWSA Winners Possess Sense Of Adventure