Emilio Casanueva
Founder & President

Emilio Casanueva is an architect and building contractor, owner of Casanueva Design•Build in Santa Barbara, California. Emilio's immediate family includes 5 children, 6 grandchildren, and a brother in Santiago, Chile.

Emilio learned to swim in the ocean when he was 5 years old in Zapallar, Chile. He has been swimming all his life. Emilio belongs to California Masters and has participated in numerous swim meets. He is also a member of the South End Rowing Club in San Francisco where he swims frequently. In the last 20 years, Emilio has participated in the Point Bonita swim (10k) across the San Francisco Bay 3 times, swam around Alcatraz from Aquatic Park, and has completed numerous swims in Santa Barbara, Mexico, and Chile. In 2007 he attempted to swim from Anacapa Island to the mainland and aborted after 3.5 hours. On October 8th, 2008, Emilio accomplished this crossing in 7 hours, 45 minutes, and 42 seconds.

Emilio is the founder of the SBCSA and Ocean Ducks Swimming Adventures and one of the original organizers of the annual BIG SWIM - now in its 6th year - a fundraising event to benefit ocean-caring non-profit organizations.

Seth Streeter
Treasurer

Seth is a passionate ocean, earth and people lover. He was raised in CO and became closely connected with Santa Barbara and the ocean when he attended UCSB for his undergraduate studies. Seth is an active father of two children, Sage and Hansen, and is involved with various business and non-profit organizations.

Seth has participated in sports his whole life and over the past decade has built an affinity for ocean-swimming via various triathlon and swimming events. Examples of this include the LA marathon, the Coeur d’Alene Ironman triathlon, the LA triathlon, Santa Barbara triathlon, Carpinteria triathlon, Alcatraz swim, 1 and 3 mile Semana Nautica swims and the inaugural 6x6 Santa Barbara Channel relay swim (6 teams of 6 relay swimmers, 26 miles from Santa Cruz island). Seth's Mission Wealth team won the 6x6 in 2007 and 2008. Seth became active with the Ocean Ducks in 2006 when he participated in the 2006 Channel Swim fundraiser and he has acted as the event MC and radio and TV promoter since this time.

Seth is the Co-Founder and President of Mission Wealth Management, a nationally recognized wealth advisory firm headquartered in Santa Barbara. Seth brings entrepreneurial insight, community connections and public speaking/media relations skills to the SBCSA.

Seth strongly believes in the SBCSA vision of making the Santa Barbara Channel one of the premier channel crossing venues in the world!

Claire Fackler
Secretary

Claire was born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands and developed a passion for the environment, particularly the ocean, at an early age. Opportunities to assist with Hawaiian green sea turtle research in Hawai‘i, pinniped (seals and sea lions) rehabilitation in California and other exciting projects provided valuable field experience and an ambition to promote ocean conservation and share her love of the sea.

Claire has been involved in sports her whole life (primarily soccer and volleyball), yet the appeal of ocean swimming has piqued her interest. While training for the Santa Barbara Sprint Triathlon, Claire stumbled across the Ocean Ducks swimming group at Butterfly Beach in 2005, and has been a fair weather duck ever since.  Having assisted in the coordination of the 5th Annual Santa Barbara Channel Relay Swim — the Big Swim 2008 — Claire has decided to get more actively involved with highlighting the awe-inspiring wonders and life-sustaining force of the ocean to marathon swimmers and coastal residents alike. California's Channel Islands and the Santa Barbara Channel are special for so many reasons that few recognize. Not only are the Channel Islands a National Park, the waters surrounding the islands is one of 13 national marine sanctuaries in the United States, as well as being recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve.

Claire has been working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA), National Ocean Service since 1999.  Currently as the National Education Liaison for the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, she works with various partners, such as National Geographic Society and the Institute for Exploration on national and regional educational programs that enhance public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the marine environment.

Dean White

Dean, a California native, has been in close contact with the ocean since his early days as a surfer in Santa Cruz, Ca. where he went to School. Father of two: Ted an accomplished skipper and participant in international regattas, and Kelly a star in her own right in the game of soccer. Dean has been swimming in Santa Barbara with the Oceanducks steadily for the last 4 years, participated in the first Relay Crossing in 2004 and in July 2008 completed the 6 mile Semana Nautica Swim. He works in the Physics department of UCSB as an engineer and is involved in international projects that take him to Geneva quite often. Finally Dean has been a sailor all his life and today a dedicated skipper. He sailed the boat for Paul Lewis in 2006 when Paul did his solo swim. In 2008, Dean has skippered more than 10 solo crossings and one relay.

Ned Denison

Ned has completed six swims of 16 miles of more including the Santa Barbara Channel: 19 mile, San Pedro Point, Santa Cruz Island to Hollywood Beach, Oxnard, swim on 4 October 2006 in a record time of 10 hours and 27 minutes. The other swims were English Channel, Round Manhattan, Lake Zurich and the first (and only swims) around Valentia and Great (Cobh) Islands in Ireland.

His early aquatic years were spent as a seven time All-American water polo goalie with teams in New York City; Berkelely, California and London England. Ned started in the open water in 2000 and lives in Ireland. Now part of Cork Masters Swimming Club he is a key organiser of the famous Lee Swim, Sandycove Island Challenge and the local English Channel swimmers.

Commenting on his Santa Barbara swim: "My wife and I were absolutely taken in by the city and hosted in fine fashion by the other Board members, kayakers and three members of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame: Alison and Freda Streeter and David Yudovin. On the day the sun was fantastic and the playful seals and majestic manta rays were the best aquatic life I have even seen on a swim. I was 15 pounds heavier before my English Channel swim - so the colder water in Santa Barbara made this the tougher of the two swims."

Carina Bruwer

Since taking up competitive Open Water Swimming in January 2003, South African native Carina Bruwer has made her mark on the record books. She holds the female record for the fastest Gibraltar Straits crossing, the overall record for the fastest swim around Robben Island, the record for the Cape Point swim, and is the fasted South African woman to swim the English Channel, England to France. To date, she is the only swimmer to have rounded both the southern-most and the northern-most tips of Africa, and the only person to successfully swim around Danger Point. Carina is also an accomplished flautist, one of the most highly publicized young musicians in South Africa. Today, Carina is looking out for interesting marathon swims all over the world. Read more at www.carinabruwer.com.

Scott Zornig

Scott is a 1981 Graduate of CSU Chico Business School who has been teaching children and adults how to swim since he was 14 years old. He has been involved with masters swimming for 25 years and was named a USMS All American. He is currently a member of the Capo Masters Swim team located in San Juan Capistrano, California. Scott was 90th person to swim the Catalina Channel solo, the 5th person to swim the Santa Barbara Channel solo and the 1st person to swim from one channel island to another (Anacapa Island to Santa Cruz Island). He has also swam around Manhattan Island (28.5 miles) and was a member of a relay which recorded the first swim from San Clemente Island to San Clemente....a distance of 60 miles. In 2007, Scott and 5 teammates circumnavigated Catalina Island (50 miles) in under 24 hours. The former high school and collegiate water polo payer and swimmer is the current holder of five, long distance, open water swimming records.

Penny Palfrey

I was born in Scarborough, England, and started swimming at the age of 9. As a teenager, I represented England in middle distance freestyle events. I migrated to Australia just prior to my 20th birthday and eventually settled in North Queensland. After a 15 year break and three children later, I needed an interest outside of the family home and got back in the pool. Realising I was still competitive, I put in some solid training and was selected to compete for Australia in the 25K open water in 1993. These days, I still like to compete, but I also enjoy the challenges posed by crossings. Open water swimming has taken us to some very interesting parts of the world, and given us the opportunity to meet some amazing people who share our passion. Other main achievements include :

• Two successful English Channel crossings, in 2006 and 2007. I received 7 awards from the CSA for these crossings, including the “Gold Medal” for the fastest crossing of 2007 (through the CSA).
• First Person to swim the Santa Barbara Channel from San Miguel Island to the mainland. Also, with Chris, first people to swim between the islands of Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz. Both of these crossings were done in 2008.
• Cook Strait, between the south and north islands of New Zealand, in 2006.
• Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. Overall winner in 2007, and women’s winner in 2008.
• Tampa Bay Marathon Swim, Florida, in 2008. Overall winner and women’s course record holder.
• Rottnest Channel Swim. Eight race crossings, and twice overall winner.
• Strait of Gibraltar, in 2006.
• Multiple podium finishes in Australian 25K nationals.
• Multiple FINA masters world records.

Chris Palfrey

I was born in Melbourne, Australia and moved to Townsville, North Queensland for quality of life reasons. I never really swam at all until age 30, when I took up triathlons. After a few years, and an assortment of injuries, I decided swimming was a bit kinder on the body. I also prefer long distance open water races and crossings. Apart from the challenges, I also like the pioneering aspect of open water. Even in the 21st century, there are many stretches of water like the Santa Barbara Channel, which hardly any body has swum. That makes our sport really exciting. Penny and I finance our open water swimming addiction and travels by running an accounting practice. My main swimming achievements include :

• Manhattan Island marathon swim finisher, in 2007 and 2008.
• Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in Florida, 2008. Second male and third overall.
• Rottnest Channel Swim. Eight  race crossings.
• Strait of Gibraltar, in 2006.
• With Penny, first people to swim between the islands of Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz.
• Magnetic Island to Townsville Swim. 12 race crossings, plus a triple crossing outside of the annual race.
• Minor medals in FINA masters and World Masters Games competition.

Nick Caine

Nick is a student at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, California where he plays water polo and swims on the men's varsity swim team. Nick started open water swimming with Water World Swim Club in San Francisco when he was 13 years old. He has completed one international swim and seveal in the United States, including 10 different Alcatraz swims, the 3 mile Gator Man swim in La Jolla California, a 10k and a 1 mile sprint in Fort Myers Florida, the United States Open Water 10k National Championship in Lake Harriot Minneapolis, and the Santa Barbara Channel from Anacapa Island to Oxnard, where he broke the record time by 15 minutes.

Nick is currently training for his English Channel attempt in the summer of 2009. After that he would like to swim around Manhattan Island, swim a different Santa Barbara Channel crossing and try another English Channel swim.

Nick is bringing a team of teens to race in the 6x6 Relay in 2009.