Meet the Team
The people behind the swim. From nutrition and physio to coaching and wellbeing, every role matters.
Tim Denyer (Coach)
Tim Denyer conquered the iconic English Channel in 2005, a day that changed his life forever. He subsequently co-founded Red Top Performance in 2007, a centre of excellence to coach and mentor international athletes to achieve their sporting dreams in the field of endurance swimming. Whether they are current or former Olympians or enthusiastic amateurs, Tim treats all athletes with the same respect and formulates bespoke strategies to be successful, pulling together the right team to support each individual. An elite tactician with uncompromising standards, he is now recognised as being a world-leader in this field with a huge wealth of knowledge, experience and an impressive success rate, describing the planning as a science and the execution as an art. To date, his team have successfully mentored 250+ English Channel crossings and another 100+ marathon swims globally. 5 of Tim’s athletes have completed the coveted Oceans 7 swim series (more than 10% of the honours board) and he has personally crewed the Oceans 7. Tim has presented on the subject in the UK, USA, Europe, Middle East and Australia and has featured in two documentaries about endurance swimming.
Two Swimmers | Don’t be Prey
Miguel Camacho | Haraka (CrossFit Level 2 Trainer | Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach)
I have been a CrossFit and functional fitness coach for the past 10 years with a passion for helping people achieve their fitness goals through purposeful coaching and individualized mentorship.
Over the last two years, I have had the privilege of assisting Jo with her prehab and rehabilitation work during camp, as well as her off-season strength and conditioning. Throughout that time I have witnessed firsthand the dedication, discipline and professionalism she brings to every aspect of her training.
My coaching philosophy is built around creating sustainable progress, developing resilient athletes and helping individuals perform at their highest level both inside and outside of competition.
Christie Robson (Nutrition)
Christie is an Accredited Sports Dietitian, 3-time age-group Australian representative triathlete, and a self-confessed lover of food. She has been swim-bike-running for over a decade and has supported more than 200 successful swimmers across the Ocean 7s and other world marathon swims, working with everyone from everyday athletes to Ironman World Championship competitors and World Record holders.
Christie has worked with Jo and RedTopSwim since the beginning, focusing on two things: the swim feeding plan, and daily nutrition to optimise health and recovery. She developed a 4-feed rotation plan tailored to Jo’s carbohydrate requirements, fluid needs, taste preferences, and electrolyte balance, with adjustments built in for varying conditions and swim environments.
Natalia | Bounceback (Remedial Therapist)
Natalia is a Remedial Massage Therapist with over 10 years of international experience, supported by clinical training across Australia, the UK, and Brazil.
She specializes in women’s health, with particular expertise in Lipoedema and Diastasis Recti, while also offering advanced treatment techniques for muscle recovery, mobility, and pain relief.
Natalia works with Joanne to support her range of motion, recovery, and overall swimming performance. Her treatments focus especially on the upper body, including the chest, arms, and shoulders, using techniques such as trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage, IASTM, myofascial release, and cupping to help keep Joanne’s muscles moving and performing at their best.
Emelyn | Bounceback (Physio)
Every athlete has a goal. My role is to help them move better, perform stronger, and reach their full potential. Working with Joanne, a dedicated long-distance swimmer, I take a holistic and personalized approach to support her performance in and out of the water. With over 15 years of experience in physiotherapy, I combine hands-on manual therapy techniques such as myofascial release, joint mobilization, dry needling, and cupping therapy to help reduce tension, improve mobility, and optimize recovery from the demands of intense training.
Each session is carefully designed around her individual needs. From promoting better movement patterns and increasing strength to addressing muscle imbalances and improving body awareness, every treatment is part of a comprehensive plan focused on enhancing performance and preventing injury. I believe that true rehabilitation goes beyond treating symptoms—it’s about empowering the body to move efficiently, recover effectively, and perform at its best. Watching athletes like Joanne progress toward their goals is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. Move better. Recover smarter. Perform stronger.
Claire Clinton-Butler (Human Performance & Recovery Specialist | Head of Event Operations & Partnerships, United By Water)
My work sits at the intersection of human performance, recovery and resilience, helping athletes, C-suite executives, entrepreneurs and high-performing individuals develop the physical, mental and energetic foundations required for sustained success. As a yoga teacher, Yin specialist, Reiki Master and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider, I bring more than 20 years of international experience supporting individuals in optimising performance, managing stress and enhancing long-term wellbeing. For endurance and ultra-endurance athletes, efficient recovery, freedom of movement and long-term physical sustainability can be just as important as strength and conditioning. Through a combination of yoga, assisted stretching, breathwork, mindfulness and nervous system regulation, I help individuals improve mobility, increase flexibility, release accumulated muscular tension and optimise recovery from the demands of training, competition and everyday life. The same principles apply to senior executives and business leaders operating under sustained pressure, where accumulated stress, physical tension and mental fatigue can affect focus, decision-making and overall effectiveness. Through mindful enquiry, breathwork, neuro-resilience and self-awareness practices, I help individuals develop greater emotional regulation, mental clarity, adaptability and confidence under pressure.
As Head of Event Operations & Partnerships for United By Water, I combine my passion for human performance with operational leadership, strategic partnership development and stakeholder engagement, helping bring together the sponsors, partners, communities and operational resources required to deliver a world-first endurance swimming initiative.
Where I train
Where the work gets done, the laps are counted, and the hours add up.
Haraka
Haraka is an Abu Dhabi-based fitness and wellness community built around performance, movement, and meaningful coaching. Miguel trains and coaches out of their facilities at Zayed Sports City, bringing a CrossFit and functional fitness background to Jo’s strength and conditioning work in camp.
Align Health
Align Health is a Department of Health–licensed physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic with two locations in Abu Dhabi, offering services including physiotherapy, chiropractic care, sports massage, dry needling, and contrast therapy recovery suites, all grounded in an evidence-based approach that prioritises long-term self-management over short-term fixes.
Erth
Erth is a heritage-inspired hotel and hospitality group based in Abu Dhabi, rooted in Emirati culture and known for its warm, principled approach to hosting. Located along the coast with a 350m private Blue Flag certified beach, Erth has a genuine connection to the water and has hosted Abu Dhabi Sports Council open-water swim events at the property, making them a natural fit as a sponsor for Joanne’s world-first crossing from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.
