<page_title> List of Swimming World Swimmers of the Year </page_title> <section_title> Open Water Swimmers of the Year </section_title> <table> <cell> 2005 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Thomas Lurz Chip Peterson <col_header> Male Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Germany United States <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> 2006 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Larisa Ilchenko <col_header> Female Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Russia <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> Thomas Lurz <col_header> Male Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Germany <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> 2007 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Larisa Ilchenko <col_header> Female Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Russia <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> 2008 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Larisa Ilchenko <col_header> Female Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Russia <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> 2009 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Thomas Lurz <col_header> Male Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Germany <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> 2011 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Thomas Lurz Spyridon Gianniotis <col_header> Male Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Germany Greece <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> <cell> 2013 <col_header> Year </col_header> </cell> <cell> Thomas Lurz <col_header> Male Winner </col_header> </cell> <cell> Germany <col_header> Nationality </col_header> </cell> </table>
Thomas Lurz of Germany has won the Open Water Swimmers of the Year award five times, triumphing in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2013, while Russia's Larisa Ilchenko has won three years in a row (2006–2008).