Kristen Smith
As one of the head coaches at Without Limits I've been in the coaching and sporting industry for almost 20 years. I grew up swimming competitively all the way through my freshman year in college at ECU. For the remainder of my collegiate athletics I played water polo. After college I fell in love with the open water. I spent about 10 years doing ocean rescue part-time and became a fish in the open waters. Serving and helping people is my true passion in life. I've completed all distances of triathlon from sprints to Ironman. I own and direct Swim The Loop and SwimRun Lake James events. Since 2015 I've been very committed to SwimRun and traveled all over the world to compete. I've completed the World Championship OtillO and am currently chasing the lighthouse in One Water Race. I have extensive experience in open water swimming from lakes, rivers, and several different oceans and seas all over the world. I'm also one of the instructors for Deep End Fitness Cape Fear. It is my mission to help others be more comfortable in the open waters with a safe and calm mindset. Be one with the water :)
Sean Ruttkay
Sean Ruttkay is a lifelong waterman whose passion for the ocean began with childhood summers in Ocean City, Maryland, and competitive swimming in Bethesda. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where his connection to the sea deepened and took root both professionally and artistically.
Sean has served as a lifeguard for over 30 years—16 of those with Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue, where he was part of multiple national championship teams, and 15 years prior in pool-based lifesaving roles. He is also an American Heart Association-certified CPR and First Aid instructor, bringing a deep knowledge of emergency response and water safety to every training session.
In 2005, Sean founded EDA Surf Art, a nationally recognized visual arts company that explores the aesthetic and emotional language of water through large-scale installations and educational outreach. His work as a surfer, artist, photographer, and coach has taken him to coastlines around the world.
Now based in Wilmington, NC, with his wife Cornelia and their three children—Nealie, Dax, and Augustus—Sean co-leads Open Oceans, where he blends decades of athletic experience, water safety expertise, and creative vision to empower individuals to thrive in and around the ocean.
Rob Brown
Rob Brown is a lifelong waterman who was raised on the shores of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. From a young age, he immersed himself in ocean sports—sailing, swimming, surfing, and paddling—developing a deep respect for the water and a drive to pursue elite-level performance.
Rob’s career as a professional surfer has taken him to some of the world’s most iconic and demanding breaks, including the North Shore of Oahu, where he’s recognized for his composure and skill at Pipeline. His global travels and time in heavy surf have sharpened his understanding of ocean dynamics, safety, and navigation in high-risk environments.
Rob also served as a member of Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue, where he reinforced his commitment to water safety and community protection. As a distance paddleboarder, he reached a career milestone in 2024 by placing 7th in the world at the prestigious Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships, a 32-mile open-ocean race through Hawaii’s treacherous Ka’iwi Channel.
Now splitting his time between Wrightsville Beach and the North Shore of Oahu, Rob continues to surf, coach, and mentor young athletes. At Open Oceans, he brings a wealth of lived experience—blending elite athleticism with safety leadership—to help others grow confident, capable, and connected in the water.
