U.S. Masters Swimming Open Water Service Award

Recipient:	Rob Copeland
Year:	2018
LMSC:	Georgia

For over 40 years Rob volunteered in numerous roles, including USMS President. For his invaluable service to USMS, he received the Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award in 2011 and the Ted Haartz Staff Appreciation Award in 2017. Rob’s National Open Water service included 15 years on the USMS Long Distance Committee (5 years as Chair), 4 years on the USMS Open Water Committee, and 15 years on the USA Swimming Open Water Committee. For over 17 years, Rob was the Open Water event director for many events, including the Cornhusker Nebraska State Games (5 years), the Georgia State Games, the Swim Across America Atlanta, and local triathlons. Rob also organized and managed numerous Open Water clinics and camps. His personal Open Water achievements were remarkable and noteworthy to mention as well. Rob was Open Water USMS All American for 13 years, the Men’s record holder for the 28 mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, the 2000 Fastest US male to swim the English Channel, and he was the first person to swim the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, Atlantic City Island Marathon Swim, and the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in a single year.