Abdulmonem Alawi

Abdulmonem Al Alawi of Oman is a current member of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee for the 2013-2017 term.

FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee

The FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee (TOWSC) is a group of experienced open water swimming 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.

TOWSC Members

The 2009-2013 members of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee include

1. Chairman Ronnie Wong Man Chiu of Hong Kong
2. Vice Chairman Jorge Aurelio Delgado Panchana of Ecuador
3. Honorary Secretary Flavio Bomio of Switzerland
4. Dr. Khwaja Aziz of Bangladesh
5. Valerijus Belovas of Lithuania
6. Tomas Haces German of Cuba
7. Samuel Greetham of Great Britain
8. Zouheir El Moufti of Morocco
9. Steven Munatones of USA [replaced by Sid Cassidy of USA]
10. Andrea Prayer of Italy
11. John West of New Zealand
12. Noam Zwi of Israel
13. Washington Beltran of Uruguay
14. Hatem Seifallah Mohamed Ibrahim of Egypt
15. Shelley Taylor-Smith of Australia
16. Dennis Miller of Fiji, Bureau Liaison

Responsibilities

These volunteers implemented a number of new safety protocols, procedures and policies while working closely with race directors and other volunteers from around the world. Collectively, they officiate the 5K, 5K Team Time Trial, 10K, 25K and Olympic 10K Marathon Swim races at the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup series, the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series, the FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, and the Olympics.

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:

FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup Series

The FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup series consists of races in: Santos (Brazil)
Cancún (Mexico)
Setúbal (Portugal)
Lac St-Jean (Canada)
Lac Mégantic (Canada)
Shantou (China)
Hong Kong

FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Series

The FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series consists of race in: Rosario (Argentina)
Sante Fe-Coronda (Argentina)
Viedma (Argentina)
Hernandarias-Paraná (Argentina)
Sumidero Canyon (Mexico)
Capri-Napoli (Italy)
Lac St-Jean (Canada)
Lac Memphrémagog (Canada)
Šabac (Serbia)
Ohrid Lake (Macedonia)
Jabelah (Syria – cancelled in 2011)

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