Meet our Guides
Meet the fantastic team of guides who bring your SwimTrek experience to life.
Jess Clare
Swim History Before SwimTrek
A lifelong swimmer I competed in the pool as a teenager before transition to open water and triathlon. I've since swum the English channel and Lake Zurich as a relay and the Corsica to Sardinia crossing solo. I'm forever in awe of the sea and the magic it holds.
Most Memorable Swim Moment
Arriving on the beach in Sardinia - having swum from Corsica.
Top Swimming Tip
Relax! Always try to swim long and strong.
Interesting Fact About You
I'm a twin!
Javier Fernandez Oubina
Swim History Before SwimTrek
I have been connected to swimming since a very young age, I feel at home in the water. After discovering open water swimming, I can’t get enough of it.
Most Memorable Swim Moment
I used to swim in the bay of Cascais, near Lisbon. One day, after a long afternoon swim, we saw an amazing sunset over the ocean, full of color. I will always remember that day.
Top Swimming Tip
You should adapt your strokes to the conditions of the sea. When there are waves and currents, your strokes should be quicker for stability and momentum; in calm water, they become longer, smoother and more powerful.
Interesting Fact About You
I am a musician and a music teacher. I have played the violin professionally and also know many songs on the guitar. I am always up for a tune!
Shaun Jessop
Swim History Before SwimTrek
I grew up in Scarborough, UK learning to swim in cold ocean pools and the North Sea! I stopped swimming in my teens, teaching swimming whilst at university in Nottingham. After emigrating to Australia in my 30s, I rediscovered my passion for open water and joined surf lifesaving clubs and adult swim squads, where was surrounded by amazing people training for unbelievable events. I'm not a natural sprinter, so the longer the swim event the better for me. I’ve also just learnt to freedive so I can actually stop and take some time to see and enjoy everything else that's in the oceans with us!
Most Memorable Swim Moment
Finishing your first long distance swim is always incredible, especially as I was never 100% sure I'd make the distance, so standing up again after 6 hours was incredible.
Top Swimming Tip
Consistency in training and preparation beats everything else. Even after a break, just 3 consecutive days of short swims lifts you up!
Interesting Fact About You
I was part of the team competing in the first episode of Fort Boyard in France when Channel 5 launched!
Evelien Harrison
Swim History Before SwimTrek
I have been sea swimming since 2012 when I set myself the goal to swim from the island of Guernsey to the island of Herm, a distance of 5km with very strong tides. I managed to swim it that year with lots of breaststroke (having not done any pool training since I was small) and have since done the Herm crossing several times and much quicker! I always try and find a swim spot somewhere and love a swimming holiday!
Most Memorable Swim Moment
Swimming the arctic circle at midnight from Finland to Sweden with the sun never fully setting was very special!
Top Swimming Tip
Enjoy the moment, don’t focus too much on distance and speed!
Interesting Fact About You
I used to do synchronised swimming as a kid!
Mladen Ilic
Swim History Before SwimTrek
Lifelong open-water swimmer from Boka Bay. Triathlete since 2013, racing from sprint to Ironman distance (4 Ironman finishes). Former lifeguard and water polo player, experienced in sea safety and guiding groups in open water.
Most Memorable Swim Moment
swimming the Ironman Barcelona 2018. We faced severe weather, with strong winds and waves around 2–3 meters high, making it an unforgettable open-water experience.
Top Swimming Tip
Stay relaxed and respect the water. Focus on calm breathing, good body position, and sighting — the sea always gives back if you swim with it, not against it.
Interesting Fact About You
I grew up swimming in the Boka Bay and later completed four Ironman races — combining a lifelong love for the sea with extreme endurance challenges.
Sam Morrison
Swim History Before Swim Trek
I started swimming from a young age and was constantly in the pool while growing up. From age 10 my family started spending the summers down on the Great Ocean Road and I took part in the local surf club nippers. I went on to do lifeguard training and became a training officer. I loved every minute of my time there and I remain an active member of my local surf club.
Most Memorable Swim Moment
Finishing my first pier to pub race. I had been injured not long before and had trained up so I could race the event which is about 1km long. It was an amazing feeling to get back into the ocean and was a beautiful day.
Top Swimming Tip
The most important thing for becoming a great swimmer is being patient and finding the pace that works for you. Trying to push too hard too early will make it much harder for you. Over time you will build up more endurance and speed in the water.
Interesting Fact About You
I recently graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Politics degree, majoring in Philosophy.
Katie Berlyn
Swim history before SwimTrek
I grew up in a small coastal town in South Africa where the ocean was my playground. The Indian Ocean shaped my childhood — you could usually find me diving through the powerful waves at Nahoon Beach (a well-known surfing spot) or challenging myself to swim as far beyond the backline as possible. My love for the adventure of being at sea feels innate, and I have always been drawn to it.
Most memorable swim moment
In June 2024, my team and I completed our pioneering 107km “D-Day Dash” swim across the English Channel by landing on the beach at Veules-les-Roses, near Dieppe in Normandy. We all swam to shore behind our teammate as he finished the final stretch of the crossing. Scrambling over the sharp rocks to clear the water felt deeply historic, bringing to mind those who landed on these same shores during the Second World War. It felt especially poignant that dawn was just breaking as we arrived. After taking a few photos on the beach, all six of us swam back out to our support boat and were rewarded with the most incredible sunrise, shimmering across the silky calm waters of the Channel. It was a moment of triumph, reflection, and sheer beauty — one I will never forget.
Top swimming tip
Relax in the water, don't overthink it. Breathe, glide and be present in the moment.
Interesting fact
I am a qualified primary school teacher and have worked as a KS1 class teacher for 12 years and then as an art teacher for 5 years. I'm a keen marathon runner and have also taken up cycling to complete a few charity cycle tours (London to Paris in 2022 and East London (SA) to Cape Town in 2025 and 2026).
Tanya Livingston
Swim history before SwimTrek:
Started off as a kid swimming for a local Rhodesian club in a 30 yard pool around 7 years old, progressed to the Zimbabwean Junior team before moving to South Africa. Competed in swimming, biathlon, lifesaving and waterpolo during my high school years, obtaining Junior springbok colours for biathlon. Post school, joined the local municipality as a professional lifeguard on Amanzimtoti Beach, primarily surf and covering the pools from time to time. Part of the John Rolfe Surf Rescue helicopter voluntary crew performing surf rescues and competing in lifesaving events. Lifesaver of the Year Award 1993 resulted in a 6 month lifeguard exchange programme in USA. Returned and joined the military training as a helicopter pilot in the South African Airforce. Moved to the South African police Service then onto Bristow Helicopters based in Nigeria working in the offshore industry. Returned to South Africa working offshore before heading to the UAE to fly Royals in their VIP Wing and train in the many amazing facilities in the UAE. Have Been active for past 12 years again in Masters Swimming and Lifesaving, attending World champs a few times both in lifesaving and swimming. Ventured into coaching, completed LTS, ACSA Coaches courses and ILS pool and ocean Instructors. Enjoy open water swims and competing locally.
Most memorable swim moments:
Winning my age group and making the top ten overall ladies in the Bosphorous on my first attempt!
Best swimming tips:
Relax! swimming is the most natural thing you can do when you're not tense!
Interesting facts about myself:
Ive never really grown up.
Daniel Mouritsen
Swim history before SwimTrek:
I’ve been drawn to the water for as long as I can remember. Growing up, swimming was seen as a life skill in my family, so I was in the water early and rarely stayed out for long. As I got older, that connection deepened through water polo, building strength, endurance, and confidence in dynamic conditions. But it was always the open water that pulled me in most — whether swimming along coastlines, jumping into cold water, or finding any excuse to be in the sea. For me, swimming has always been part of a bigger sense of adventure — exploring wild places, feeling connected to the elements, and being completely at ease in the water wherever I am.
Most memorable swim moments:
One of my most memorable swims was along the coastline in Amed at sunset. The ocean was almost completely still, making it one of those rare swims where everything feels calm and unhurried. As I moved along the coast, the sun set behind Mount Agung, and the light gradually faded. It was a simple moment, but one that really stuck with me — just being in the water and taking it all in.
Best swimming tips:
One stroke at a time. Stay present in your swim rather than thinking too far ahead — you’ll enjoy it more and usually swim better too.
Interesting facts about myself:
I’m allergic to kiwifruit, which unfortunately doesn’t stop me from eating them — I just have to live with the consequences afterwards.
Edoardo Bruni
Swim history before SwimTrek
I grew up in the water and developed my swimming skills through many years of playing water polo in Rome with Flores. This gave me a strong foundation in endurance, technique, and confidence in dynamic water conditions. Over time, I naturally moved into open water swimming, where I feel most at home. For me, swimming in the sea is about freedom, awareness, and connection with the environment. My experience is also deeply influenced by my background in freediving and professional diving, which has given me a high level of water confidence, breath control, and the ability to read sea conditions."
Most memorable swim moment
I have spent a significant amount of time swimming in the Atlantic Ocean around Lanzarote, where I lived and worked as a diving center manager. Swimming there means dealing with currents, swell, and the vastness of the ocean—an environment that commands respect and awareness. Lanzarote, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Marine Reserve, also offered extraordinary encounters with large marine life, reinforcing my deep connection with the sea. My background in freediving and professional diving further developed my water confidence, breath control, and ability to read sea conditions"
Top swimming tip
Always take a moment to read the conditions, currents, wind, swell—and adapt your swimming rather than fighting the water. Efficiency, calm breathing, and awareness are far more important than speed. The sea rewards those who listen to it and respect the sea before trying to perform in it."
Interesting fact
I don’t just explore the sea...I interpret it. My background combines professional diving, archaeology, and heritage interpretation, which means that every swim becomes a story. I can guide people not only through the water, but also through the history, culture, and hidden meaning of the places we explore."
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