Sports
Patrick Winkler: The Mind Behind Swim Channel
Speaking with Samir Barel and Wanderley Santos, the entrepreneur reflects on founding the magazine, the Raia Rápida Challenge, and new athletic goals.
Patrick Winkler shares his journey from junior swimmer and sports executive to founder of Swim Channel. The entrepreneur details the behind-the-scenes creation of the Raia Rápida Challenge on TV Globo, the brand's digital evolution, and his training for the 36 km Leme to Pontal swim.
With a background that combines high performance in the pool, executive roles at major aquatic sports brands, and strong business acumen, Patrick Winkler is one of the most influential figures in Brazilian aquatic sports. On an episode of the Natação Stemma podcast, hosted by Samir Barel and Wanderley Santos, the founder and CEO of Grupo Swim Channel reflected on his journey from the junior ranks to building Latin America's largest aquatic media hub, while also opening up about his love for open water and upcoming athletic challenges.
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From junior swimming at Pinheiros to living in Australia
Born in Rio de Janeiro near Copacabana's Posto 4, Patrick began swimming at age two at Fluminense. He later swam for Flamengo, where he won state titles and competed in Olympic rowing before relocating to São Paulo in 1991. At Esporte Clube Pinheiros, he trained for nearly a decade under head coach Alberto Pinto (Albertinho), excelling in butterfly, individual medley, and middle-distance events. A medalist at the prestigious Troféu Chico Piscina with impressive junior times, he recognized early on that swimming deserved greater coverage and professionalism across mainstream sports media.
In 1999, Patrick took an unconventional route for the era: while most Brazilian swimmers headed to the United States, he opted for a study exchange in Australia. Immersing himself in Australian ocean culture fundamentally reshaped his relationship with the sport, introducing him to paddleboarding and open-water surfing—disciplines that would ultimately define both his lifestyle and his competitive drive.
The birth of Swim Channel magazine
The idea of launching a specialized aquatic sports publication first sparked during the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. As a teenager, Patrick noticed that historic showdowns between Gustavo Borges, Alexander Popov, and Matt Biondi lacked the mainstream media coverage given to other sports. Years later, after earning a Business Administration degree from Mackenzie and pursuing a postgraduate degree in Sports Management at Instituto Trevisan—mentored by sports executive José Carlos Brunoro—the concept for Swim Channel took formal shape as his capstone thesis.
Following executive stints in marketing and product development at Speedo, Rip Curl, and Arena, the announcement of Rio de Janeiro as the host city for the 2016 Olympics became the decisive catalyst. In December 2010, investing all his savings, Patrick launched the print edition of Swim Channel. Supported by leading figures in aquatic journalism such as Alexandre Pussieldi, Daniel Takata, and Guilherme Freitas, the magazine adopted a bold graphic design inspired by surf magazines and comic books, putting athletes front and center while covering everything from pool swimming to open water.
The Raia Rápida Challenge on broadcast television
Among the highest-profile initiatives led by Patrick was the creation of the Desafio Raia Rápida (Fast Lane Challenge), developed in partnership with Pedro Monteiro (creator of the Rei e Rainha do Mar circuit). Broadcast live on TV Globo's flagship Sunday sports show Esporte Espetacular, the event featured a fast-paced knockout format of 50-meter races across all four strokes plus a mixed medley relay.
Patrick personally spearheaded international negotiations to recruit global swimming stars, bringing top talent to Brazil including France's Florent Manaudou and Frédérick Bousquet, Australia's James Magnussen and Matt Targett, and South Africa's Chad le Clos. Over five historic editions, the event pitted Brazil's world-class sprinters against the planet's fastest swimmers on national television.
The digital transition and streaming ecosystem
Adapting to evolving media consumption habits, the group phased out its regular print magazine to focus entirely on digital operations. Today, the Swim Channel platform delivers daily news, race calendars, and comprehensive coverage of CBDA national championships and major open-water festivals like Rei e Rainha do Mar and Circuito Mares. It also features a dedicated streaming app with thousands of hours of on-demand content for Smart TVs and mobile devices, establishing a strong footprint across Portugal and Spanish-speaking Latin America.
Patrick emphasizes that the outlet's editorial philosophy has always focused on elevating and supporting athletes rather than chasing sensationalism. According to the founder, the primary goal is not merely trying to "break out of the niche," but rather to enrich and empower the aquatic community itself with technical insights, complete results, and genuine respect for competitors at every level.
Coastal lifestyle in Ubatuba and the Leme to Pontal swim
Currently living in Ubatuba with his wife and open-water swimmer Catarina Ganzeli Winkler, Patrick balances running his media group with an intensive training routine in the ocean, splitting his time between surfing, marathon paddleboarding, and Masters swimming—where he previously achieved a world number-one ranking in the 800-meter freestyle for the 40–44 age group.
His next major athletic milestone is the ultimate open-water endurance test: the Travessia do Leme ao Pontal in Rio de Janeiro. Training in Ubatuba alongside coach Marcão with guidance from Samir Barel, Patrick aims to tackle the grueling 36-kilometer course with a strong, competitive pace, turning his lifelong connection with the ocean into yet another inspiring chapter.
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