Check out our new site at openwaterswimming.com
Washington Beltran
Washington Beltran is a member of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee.
Contents
FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee
The FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee (TOWSC) is a group of experienced open water swimming volunteer experts from around the world who administers and officiates the pro and elite open water races in the world. They also organize clinics and serve as referees, judges and officials at major international competitions and write the rules and procedures that govern these competitions.
History of TOWSC
In 1985, the FINA Bureau appointed a Long Distance Swimming Commission. Seven years later, the Technical Open Water Swimming Committee was formed in 1992. Allan M. Clarkson of Great Britain was nominated Chairman of the first committee. He was followed by Hans A. Beijer of the Netherlands, Sid Cassidy of the USA and Ronnie Wong of Hong Kong. The Honorary Secretaries of the Committee included Dale Petranech of the USA (1992-1996), Flavio Bomio of Switzerland (1996-2000), Shelley Taylor-Smith of Australia (2000-2008) and Flavio Bomio (2008 - present).
Members of TOWSC
Its members include:
1. Ronnie Wong Man Chiu, Chairman
2. Jorge Aurelio Delgado Panchana, Vice Chairman
3. Flavio Bomio, Honorary Secretary
4. Sid Cassidy, Member
5. Khwaja Aziz, Member
6. Valerijus Belovas, Member
7. Tomas Haces German, Member
8. Samuel Greetham, Member
9. Zouheir El Moufti, Member
10. Andrea Prayer, Member
11. John West, Member
12. Noam Zwi, Member
13. Washington Beltran, Events Sub-Committee
14. Hatem Seifallah Mohamed Ibrahim, Events Sub-Committee
15. Shelley Taylor-Smith, Events Sub-Committee
16. Dennis Miller, FINA Bureau Liaison
Olympic 10K Marathon Swim
As members of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, American Sid Cassidy, Australian Chris Guesdon and Fijian Dennis Miller literally mapped out the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim concept on a napkin in a restaurant. This revolutionary plan eventually led to the sport of open water swimming being added to the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
Cassidy gives the background during his speech at the 2011 Global Open Water Swimming Conference in New York City:
Ambassadors of the Sport
Among their responsibilities, members of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee attend competitions, meet coaches and promote the sport in various ways: speeches, clinics, publications, competitions and meetings. In June 2011, Delgado explained the role of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and the future of the sport at the United Nations during the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame awards ceremonies:
