The people behind the club.

Passionate about entrepreneurship, people and sport for as long as I can remember, I started as an athlete very early in BMX. I tried many sports growing up, including competitive pool swimming. I studied Communication, Business Management and Marketing, and Sports Management. After my master’s I took up triathlon and qualified as a triathlon coach, personal trainer and swimming coach — when I found my true passion.

My motivation is to bring together swimming and the joy of being in nature, safely. That is why I created Swim4fun, a school in theory and in practice: besides swimming lessons it runs talks, events and workshops on safety, nutrition and breathing.

Now I am living another dream, founding Clube Swim4fun, to encourage more people to enjoy a complete sport closely tied to nature, and to motivate, prepare and guide swimmers for open water and triathlon training and races.

As a child, my most striking contact with open water was not exactly a happy memory. Trying to swim across a river, my lack of technique and the current nearly ended in tragedy — had it not been for the watchful eye and quick swimming of my uncle António. It left me with a deep fear of open water.

I only overcame it later with dedicated training, from the pool to a Sea Survival Course. The dream of completing an Ironman was the final test, as it demanded regular open water training, at times in rough conditions. Since then, open water has become as natural to me as running, cycling or anything on land.

Now, through Clube Swim4fun, I want to help build a reference centre for open water swimming, supporting every athlete who comes to us and sharing knowledge and experience.

My swimming journey began at 6, in the pools of Araraquara, a town in the state of São Paulo. I fell in love with competition early on and found a real calling for swimming.

When I moved to Portugal I met a new challenge and a new love: the sea. It brought new opportunities and some challenges — jellyfish included — which I faced with resilience and determination. I keep competing and pushing myself. Out of the water I work in IT project management.

Swimming is more than a sport to me; it is a way of life that taught me perseverance, discipline and love for what we do. I am excited to be part of this club and to give back to the community.

Fascinated by the sea since childhood thanks to National Geographic documentaries, he started swimming at 10 and also practised Kendo and boxing, but never left the pool. In 2019 he discovered open water and has not stopped since. A diver, he has dived in almost every ocean. His first long crossing was the Faial–Pico crossing, and he now dreams of races of 10 km and more. Next challenge: becoming a swimming coach.

Born in Italy and Portuguese by adoption, she loves the sea and everything around it. She has always lived by the sea, and a holiday is only a holiday with salt or fresh water included. She took up open water swimming during the pandemic, never stopped, and it became a kind of philosophy of life. Convinced it is never too late to start something new, and that the sea and sport bring communities together, she sees sharing this passion as a source of new ideas and shared goals. Together we swim further and better!

My passion at sea is sailing and windsurfing. Open water swimming is the essential complement to both, and the best experience water can offer.

Born on São Miguel, in the Azores, I have lived in Lisbon for 14 years, where I built a career in finance — a choice that, luckily, helps fund the need for wetsuits! I started swimming three years ago and found in the sea not just a challenge but a true source of freedom, inspiration and community.

Carolina was born into a family of athletes: her grandfather was an Olympic pentathlete and her father stood out in rugby. She started as a dancer and kept active with fitness over the years. As an adult, after having two children, she decided to learn to swim and found a real passion for open water, which also led her to triathlon. Today she feels it is never too late to start and is excited about her journey as an athlete.

Half human, half shark. Since I was little I have felt free and at ease in the water. I started with swimming lessons, then competitions and finally open water, where calm and freedom come together. An adventurer always looking for experiences in nature, swimming in the sea brings me great happiness and I want to keep it for life.