Board of Directors
Joel Wilson
Joel has been an open water swimmer since first racing around the Santa Cruz Pier in 1973. He continued his open water swimming with the South End Rowing Club beginning in 1974, has done dozens of Alcatraz and Golden Gate Swims as well as many other swims in San Francisco Bay, Hawaii, Oregon, and various locales in Northern California. He has been head coach of Santa Cruz Masters since 1988, coaching both pool and open water swimmers. He has coached crossings of the English and Catalina Channels, around Manhattan Island, and across Monterey Bay. Joel is also a member of the South End Rowing Club. |
Patti Bauernfeind
Patti started open water swimming off the beaches and in the springs of Florida as a kid. But, she became totally immersed in the amazing world of open water swimming after moving to California in 2000. There isn’t a body of water that she passes and doesn’t wonder what it would be like to swim in it. Her swim adventures include a 21.3 mile length of Lake Tahoe, 24 mile Tampa Bay marathon swim, 28 mile swim race around Manhattan Island, 20 mile Catalina Channel swim, 16.4 mile Lake Zurich swim, 30 mile Farallon Channel (relay), 180+ mile swim down the coast of California (relay), 25 mile solo swim across Monterey Bay (Santa Cruz to Monterey), 21 Mile English Channel from Dover to France, 16 mile Cook Strait between the N and S Islands of New Zealand, 22 Mile frigid dark length of Loch Ness Scotland, and numerous SF Bay swims. Patti is also a member of the South End Rowing Club. |
solo Kimberly Rutherford
Born and raised just steps from New Brighton and Capitola Beach with a clear view of Monterey across the Bay. Kim had always dreamed of swimming to “the other side” – and in 2014 she did! As a local kid, Kim grew up swimming, surfing and paddling in the cool Pacific. She started coaching, teaching swimming, and Life guarding in High School and continues to coach and mentor OW swimmers today. Kim's first marathon swim was Seal Beach Rough Water in the early 1980's and was hooked! Favorite swims include a solo 25 mile Monterey Bay crossing (Monterey to Santa Cruz), the 20 mile Catalina and 12.4 mile Anacapa channels, 28 Miles around Manhattan Island, 12 Mile Mercer Island circumnavigation, Straight of Juan De Fuca between the US and Canada in 51f, 50 mile double Monterey Bay relay swim, Ice Miles in Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Semana Nautica, and daily swims at home in Soquel Cove. Kim is also a member of the South End Rowing Club. |
Scott Tapley
Scott is a life-long surfer, avid paddler, and ocean swimmer. Spending time in the ocean is his passion. His swimming highlights include a 21 mile solo English Channel, 20 mile solo Catalina Channel, 12.4 mile solo Anacapa channel, 50 mile relay circumnavigation of Catalina Island, first solo marathon swim tracing the 12 mile Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddle race course, 50 mile double Monterey Bay relay swim, multiple 10k and 20k swims between Santa Cruz and Capitola, swimming the Golden Gate Bridge, multiple Alcatraz escapes, and winter swimming in Lake Tahoe. Scott is also a member of the South End Rowing Club. |
Robin Rose If you swim in Santa Cruz or San Francisco, you probably know Robin. She is one of the most friendly mermaids you'll ever meet. For Robin, swimming in cold salty water is a sanctuary. It's where she goes to relax, think, not think, heal, laugh, cry, and dream up her next big aquatic adventure. So far she has dreamed of and completed some very impressive swims, including a 21 mile solo crossing of the English Channel, multiple 21.3 mile solo swims across the length of Lake Tahoe, 20 mile solo swim of Catalina channel, 28 mile solo swim around Manhattan Island, 12.4 mile solo of Anacapa channel, 11 mile solo swim across of Lake Tahoe, 14 mile solo swim of the Apolima Strait in Samoa, Golden Gate Bridge, many Alacatraz swims and a lot more. Robin is also a member of the South End Rowing Club. Robin has achieved the California Triple Crown and the International Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming. |