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“People, land, and continents are separated by oceans,
and swimmers are the only ones that can unite the continents, land, and people.”
—Coach Pedro Órdenes
Hello Dear Reader:
This newsletter pays tribute to Coach Pedro Órdenes, the esteemed founder of Water World Swim, who passed away on July 4, 2024 from cancer. In the realm of open water swimming, Coach Pedro gained international fame for his record-breaking crossings. His impact extends far beyond setting records; he has served as an inspiration to countless swimmers.
Among Coach Pedro’s many achievements is a record-breaking feat of over 1,000 Alcatraz swims, all while coaching countless swimmers to conquer this iconic San Francisco bay swim, with the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Furthermore, he achieved a double crossing of the Beagle Channel spanning Chile and Argentina, in addition to two swims across the English Channel.
A magazine headline identified him as “The Ice Swimmer.” How appropriate, considering he inherited a passion for swimming from his father, as a boy in his homeland of Chile, where the frigid Humboldt current flows up the Pacific coastline from Antarctica. In 1959, Pedro’s father became the first swimmer to attempt crossing the Strait of Magellan, a challenge Pedro conquered forty years later. As a tribute to his father, Pedro achieved a world record at 53, at the turn of the millennium, on December 30th, 1999. Without a wetsuit, he conquered the challenging Strait of Magellan.
Through my work at Chile Lindo, I’ve met extraordinary people. Pedro Órdenes is certainly up there a top that list. I first read about Pedro back in 2002, at a friend’s wedding reception at the South Ends Rowing Club. As I scanned the Club’s framed photos and articles, I was drawn to a newspaper clip of a man swimming across the Strait of Magellan. I zoned in on the story and, to my surprise, I learned that a local Chilean had conquered the Strait. A photo of Coach Pedro swimming surrounded by dolphins struck me.
Ten years later, Coach Pedro paid a visit to Chile Lindo and introduced himself. I immediately told him I had read all about his extraordinary feat across el Estrecho. While I got his empanada order ready, he filled me in on his vision; I gave him a rundown on mine; he took my business card and joined my newsletter and soon after he became my first newsletter sponsor. Between Pedro and I, it was an instant meeting of the minds. Each in our own way devoted to bridging our cultures, drawing from our childhood and our shared love of Chile and San Francisco.
Shortly afterwards, I arranged to interview him at a cafe and went to observe him in action. I woke up at 5:00 AM and met his swimmers at 6:30 at Aquatic Park, where I witnessed Coach Pedro’s impressively organized Alcatraz Swim with the Centurions annual competition. Swimmers came from as far as London to compete. This energetic community inspired me to want to drop everything and embark on a journey of documenting Coach Pedro’s notable achievements with Water World Swim in Galapagos, Italy, Spain, Cuba and Viña del Mar, Chile. Of course, I stayed put, dedicated to Chile Lindo. I was building community through empanadas, Pedro was "building community through open waters."
Pedro Órdenes aspired to raise Chile’s international profile. Coach Pedro believed that the Strait of Magellan was a channel swimmer’s Gold. He thought Patagonia was incomparable.
Meeting Coach Pedro was a genuine honor. I thank him for generously supporting Chile Lindo.
With heartfelt sympathy and love to his extraordinary community,
Paula Tejeda
Chile Lindo
Coach Pedro Órdenes Memorial
August 31, 2024
12:30 - 2:30 PM
South End Rowing Club
500 Jefferson Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
RSVP
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