Support Crew (2019)

World-class Support Crew for the first official Maxi Plouf event - Antibes 30km International Open Water Swim 2019

I am very proud to announce the key members of the Support Team. The main priority is to ensure safety. We also aim for everyone to have a fantastic experience being part of a very special event in an exceptional environment,

Jean-Luc Boulanger

Foundation Member and President of not-for-profit organisation Maxi Plouf

Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer, with active CPR and First Aid qualifications

Emergency number before and during the event: +61 414 438 193

[As at 10 June 2019]

Water Safety:

• 1 x fast response boat on the water:

  • Docked a few hundred metres from the swim start at Port Vauban

  • 150 HP engine

  • Boat Captain Muriel Mathelet is very familiar with the swim course area and has great local knowledge

• Support crew on fast response boats includes:

  • Louise Boulanger:

    • Event coordinator

    • Swim Coach, Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer with active CPR and First Aid qualifications

    • Long term involvement in Triathlon and Surf Life Saving, e.g. with 3 National Titles in New Zealand (2 x Beach Sprint and 1 x Beach Flags), active Surf Life Saving Bronze Medallion and recent work experience with Life Saving Victoria to support water safety in Australia

    • Foundation Member of Maxi Plouf

  • Olivier Fontaine:

    • Swim coach at "Cercle des Nageurs d'Antibes", Antibes Swimming Club which produced several Olympic Medalists including Gold Medalist Alain Bernard

    • Active CPR and First Aid qualifications

    • Excellent swimmer, including in open water: 3rd at Prom'Swim (5km) in Nice in 2017 in 1:04' and 6th at SwimTheIsland (6km) in Italy in 2017 in 1:21'

    • Great local knowledge of the swim course area

  • Mireille Ruelle:

    • President of Antibes Triathlon Club

    • Referee at Nice Ironman Triathlon

    • Great local knowledge of the swim course area

  • Gilles Elziere

    • Second Boat Captain

    • Active CPR and First Aid qualifications

    • Great local knowledge of the swim course area

• Paddlers on kayaks to support swimmers:

  • Annette Von Borstel:

    • Competed in kayaking for many years

    • Active sports person - cycling, running and swimming

    • Artist with painting Gallery & Workshop in the Old Town of Antibes, a few hundred metres from the swim start

    • Annette gets a special mention because she was the first one to volunteer as a paddler :)

  • Nina Phanatzis, Marcel Hoffner, Catherine and Dominique Perichon, Jean-Luc and Isabelle Cangelosi, Laure Sicard, Andre Rebouh, Marc Herbelleau, Jean-Baptiste Senegas, Maxence Duhaupas, Ludivine Denis, Françoise et José Munoz all have experience in kayaking, and local knowledge

• Mobile support on water:

  • Jean-Claude Kittel

    • Very experienced endurance SUP athlete

    • Great local knowledge of the swim course area

  • Wayne Oldfield

    • Lives and works on the course

    • Experienced kayaker

  • Jean-Claude and Wayne supported us on various sections of the course, including $$$ Bay, Les Ondes and the turnaround in Golfe-Juan, and contributed to make the event safe

• Kayak rentals:

  • Philippe Wiscart-Goetz from Cap Kayak at Port Gallice

  • Philippe delivered 4 rental kayaks (NB Some of the paddlers used their own) and all the related safety equipment at 6am at the swim start. He had a friendly smile on his face. He picked up everything at the finish, with the same friendly smile. So, if you need a kayak in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins, you know where to go!

Land Support:

• Jean Miniere & Des Baum:

  • Swim start coordinators

  • Jean is a dental surgeon and active sports person with a long term background in triathlon (Jean won the French National Triathlon for Medical staff in 1988) and open water swimming

  • Des is a keen golfer and swimmer who particularly enjoys the early morning swims at les Ondes (10km & 20km mark on the course)

• Marion Joannin:

  • Swim finish coordinator

  • Masseuse (NB Swimmers can book their pre or post-swim massage directly with Marion)

  • Marion lives in Antibes and works at the SPA at Hotel Royal, 1km from the swim start

• Caroline Vera, her mother Annie-Claude, and two other family members:

  • Les Ondes transition area coordinator - paddlers and kayaks changeovers and feed station for swimmers

  • Caroline skills, including rigour and discipline, as a conveyancing solicitor were very useful at this critical node of the swim course :)

Videos on the event:

• Philoo Roy

  • Local triathlete

  • On the day of the event, Philoo took most of the footage used in the event video

Airport transfers:

• Karim Bouda

  • Local VTC

  • Achieved a score of a 100% for his punctuality throughout the event :)