Professional Documents
Culture Documents
She was the first women in the 1956 16K (10-mile) Salton Sea marathon swim in the California, USA
desert, a 24K (15-mile) Huntington Beach-to-Long Beach swim in 1957, a 42K (26-mile) swim in
Guaymas, Mexico that took her 12 hours in 1957, the 36K (22.5-mile) Around the Island Swim in Atlantic
City, USA in 12 hours and 36 minutes in 1957, the 24K (15-mile) Owen Sound Marathon in Canada in 6
hours and 15 minutes in 1957, the Around the Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA in 1958, in 1959 in 11
hours and 7 minutes and 1963 the 30.5K (19-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in
1958 in Canada.
Greta won the 42K (26-mile) professional marathon swim in Guaymas, Mexico in 1958 and did an 11
hour and 7 minute single-crossing of the Catalina Channel in 1958. She also won the 80.4K (50-mile)
World Long Distance Open Water Swimming Championship in 1962 in Lake Michigan. She truly earned
her title of the “World‟s Greatest Female Swimmer.”
Paul won the 36K (22.5-mile) Around the Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA an unprecedented eight times
in water ranging between the high 50ºF‟s to the low 80ºF‟s. He won the 34K (21-mile) Traversée
internationale du Lac St-Jean professional race from 1980–1984 in Canada, the 64K (40-mile) race from
1985 to 1989 and the 40K (25-mile) race from 1990 to 1992. He set a record of 17 hours and 6 minutes
in 1989 in the 64K (40-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean race in Canada. He won the
professional 32K (20-mile) Maratona del Golfo – Capri-Napoli in Italy three times and set the course
record of 6 hours and 35 minutes. He was a 4-time winner of the 27K (17-mile) Les Quatorze swim in
50ºF water and set the record of 5 hours and 35 minutes in 1981. His solo swims include three English
Channel crossings including setting the men‟s record, the 50K (31-mile) Nantucket-to-Cape Cod (the only
person to swim the course) and the first person to circumnavigate the 45K (28-mile) Manhattan Island
circumnavigation in under seven hours.
Paul was also inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
In 1947, he became the first man to swim the Irish Channel from Donghadee, Ireland to Portpatrich,
Scotland in 15 hours and 31 minutes. He was also the Morcambe Cross Bay Championship winner in
1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938.
Lynn also helped form the International Marathon Swimming Federation which later became the
International Marathon Swimming Association. She was active in conducting many world events from
1997 to 2002 as General Secretary of the International Marathon Swimming Association. She is also
serves as the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Vice President.
After he competed in the 1960 Olympics, he competed on the professional marathon swimming circuit in
Italy (1975 and 1976 Capri-Napoli Marathon Swim), Canada (1975 Traversee Internationale du lac St-
Jean, 1975 Lac La Tuque 24-hour Swim, 1976 lac Chibougamau Marathon), He won the 1976 Australian
Open Water Swimming Championships in the year he was elected President of the World Professional
Marathon Swimming Federation. He also served as the President of the Australian Marathon Swimming
Federation from 1977-1979 and was a member of the Australian Open Water Swimming Committee from
1988-2001 during which time he wrote the Open Water Swimming handler and trainer's 25K manual,
suitable for 25k, adopted by Australian Swimming and organized the 1999 Pan Pacific Open Water
Championships. From 1989-1998, he was the national open water swimming coach for Australia where
he coached swimmers to gold, silver and bronze at the 1991 and 1998 World Swimming Championships,
the 1991 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and several international competitions in Italy, France,
Canada and the USA. He designed the Australian Swimming 16K Grand Prix Series and, from 1990-
1996, he was the Chief Presenter of Open Water Swimming Coaching at Australian National Coaching
Conferences and coached a 93K world record 4-person relay from Malta to Sicily in 1996 and English
Channel and Manhattan Island Marathon Swim athletes.
He served as the USA Swimming National Open Water Coach for five years, was race director for six
international marathon swims and the FINA Open Water World Cup events at Atlantic City, USA.
Sid‟s greatest influence in the sport has been achieved as a result of his work as chairman of the FINA
Technical Open Water Swimming Committee where he has oversight of the FINA 10K Marathon
Swimming World Cup circuit, the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series and the FINA World
Open Water Swimming Championships. Under his leadership, marathon swimming was added to the
Olympic program at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. He was the official starter of
the first Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has helped standardize and
professionalize the judging and staging of marathon swims around the world. Sid received highest award
by USA Swimming in 2009.
Fred (Father): Royal Humane Society, received four medals for life saving; missed completing English
Channel swim by 50 yards when boatman refused to land at night.
Ernest: World record holder in the 1000-yard freestyle and "World Title" series winner in England against
American champion McCusker.
Charles: First man to cross the Golden Gate.
Percy: Won 4 Australian National Championships and set world records in the 440 yards and 5-mile
freestyle. Taught swimming for 15 years in America;
Arthur: Stunt swimmer who crossed rivers with both hands and feet tied. He died from exposure,
attempting to swim across Seattle Harbor.
Syd: Won 1 Australian Championship and coached at San Francisco Olympic Club.
Dick: Won 18 Australian titles and 2 English titles. Toured America as Father Neptune in a stage act and
was influential in the development of independent arm stroke and leg kick of the crawl stroke. Died of a
heart attack during a swimming demonstration in 1938.
David teaches workshops on escorting open water swimmers, including presentations at the USA
Swimming Open Water Training Camp. His technical innovations include feeding systems, the
introduction of kayaks for escorting swimmers, and the development of navigation tools and training
materials for the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation.
Anne has crossed the Maui Channel (4:09 in 2000 and 5:22 in 2001), the Catalina Channel Normal
(10:15 in 2001), the English Channel (12:32 in 2002, a two-way in 28:36 in 2004 and 11:33 in 2007) and
the Pacific Swim 10K in Fiji (2:41 in 2008). She became the oldest person, at the age of 48, to make a
two-way crossing of the English Channel for which she received the Channel Swimming & Piloting
Federation Award for the Most Meritorious Swim by a Woman. She has also participated in a two-way
Catalina Channel relay (2000), a one-way Catalina Channel relay (2003), a 52°F (11°C) relay swim in the
Haro Straits in Canada, and relay swims in San Diego. Anne served as President of the La Jolla Cove
Swim Club (2001-2002), as a volunteer Observer for the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation and
served as an Official Observer on English Channel swims in 2002 and 2004.
the Big Diomede Island and the Little Diomede Island in 40°F water in 2 hours and 6 minutes. In 1988,
she became the first person to swim across Lake Baikal. In 1990, she completed an unprecedented
crossing of the Beagle Channel between Argentina and Chile. In 1990, she swam across the Spree River
between the newly united German Republics. In 1992, Lynne became the first person to swim across
Lake Titicaca from Bolivia to Peru. In 1994, she swam through the Gulf of Aqaba from Egypt to Israel and
from Israel to Jordan. In 2002, she became the first person to swim 1.9K (1.2 miles) in Antarctica from a
ship to Neko Harbor in a time of 25 minutes in 31°F water.
Besides his quick rise to the top echelon of professional marathon swimming, he was a personable
ambassador of the sport. His love of the sport of marathon swimming was shared with fans, the media,
his teammates and rivals.
At the time of his tragic death during a professional marathon race, he was second in the rankings on his
first full season on the FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit. He won six national titles in
America, two FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup titles, a bronze in the 2009 World Swimming
Championships 10K, a gold in the 2007 Pan American Games 10K, a silver in the 2010 Pan Pacific
Swimming Championships 10K and finished 4th in the 2010 World Swimming Championships 10K in a
career that was cut short.
His swimming camps also served as training camps for the United States Swimming Open Water National
Teams and individuals training for English Channel and other marathon swim endeavors. Buck founded
the annual Fort Lauderdale Rough Water Swim, formerly known as the International Swimming Hall of
Fame Ocean Mile, and the Galt Ocean Mile Swims.
Buck was the first president of the International Sports Heritage Association, now a 136-member
organization of Sports Halls of Fame which he founded under the name of International Association of
Sports Museums and Halls of Fame. Under Buck‟s leadership, the International Swimming Hall of Fame
became the world‟s first international Hall of Fame when it was recognized by the 96-member FINA
Congress in 1968.
Buck was also a writer whose books included A Civil War Artist From the Front, When the Earth
Explodes, Michigan Ensian, All About Dryland Exercises For Swimmers, Weissmuller to Spitz—An Era to
Remember, Age Group Swimming and Diving For Teacher and Pupil, Million Dollar Mermaids—America’s
Love Affair With Its First Women Swimmers, Gold Medal Pools, We Don’t Sew Beads on Belts and Stand
Up and Hook Up.
Buck was honored as an inductee in International Swimming Hall of Fame following retirement in 1986.
She was the 1979 World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation‟s women‟s champion winning in
the 42K (26-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada, the 36K (22.5-mile)
Around-the-Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA, the 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean
in Canada, the 24-hour La Tuque relay in Canada and thePaspébiac marathon swim in Canada.
She was a founding member of the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation and served as the USA
Swimming National Open Water Team Coach for eight years, taking teams to the 1991 Pan Pacific
Championships, 1991 World Swimming Championships, 1982 and 1990 Windermere Championships,
1990 English Channel Race, 1984 and 1989 Catalina Channel Race and coach of nine solo Catalina
Channel swimmers. She was president of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America from
1985 to 1987 and served on the NCAA Swimming Committee.
She has presented numerous international clinics on marathon and open water swimming, written articles
for swimming publications and authored How to Swim a Marathon with printings in 1985, 1988 and 1992,
Open Water Swimming, a how-to manual, and History of the Catalina Swims in 1985. She was the meet
director for the US Swimming Open Water 1984 International Invitational held in California and authored
two books on open water swimming: and The History of the Catalina Swims. Penny is also an honoree of
the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Igor won the 48K (28.5-mile) Manhattan Island Marathon Swim twice in 1994 and 2001. He started
swimming International Marathon Swimming Association events in 1985 and was ranked in the top 10
between1987 and 1994. For 15 years, he competed all over the world, winning some races and finishing
all. He swam 36K (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA a total of ten times.
She was named Swimming World Magazine‟s Long Distance Swimmer of the Year and became the
Dutch Sportswomen of the Year in 2005.
Edith also played a movie role in the 2006 Argentinian documentary Agua, where she plays herself. She
culminated her career by coming out of retirement to place 14th in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the
2008 Beijing Olympics.
Gertrude was once the world‟s most celebrated woman for becoming the first woman to swim the English
Channel in 14 hours and 31 minutes in 1926. When Gertrude returned to New York City, an estimated
two million New Yorkers lined the sidewalks on August 27, 1926, to heap their applause and tons of
confetti on her. She toured America after her Channel record, demonstrating her freestyle in a specially
built swimming tank and made cameo appearances at Billy Rose's Aquacade at the New York World's
Fair in 1939.
At the 1924 Paris Olympic, she won a gold medal as the leadoff swimmer on the United States 4x100
meter freestyle relay to set a world record and added bronze medals in the 100- and 400 meter freestyle
races. She set 29 world and American records, at distances from 100 to 500 meters before she tried to
cross the English Channel in 1925 when she was disqualified when a support team member grabbed her
arm to assist.
In her 1926 record swim from France to England, Gertrude wore a revolutionary two-piece bathing suit
and personally designed wrap-around goggles, which were kept watertight with molten candle wax.
He participated in eight professional marathon swims in Lake Michigan USA, Atlantic City, USA, the La
Tuque 24-hour relay with Dennis Matuch in Canada and the Traversée Internationale du Lac
Memphrémagog in Canada. His Lake Michigan swims included a 59K (36.75-mile) swim from Chicago,
Illinois to Michigan City, Indiana, USA in 1961 in 36 hours and 37 minutes, a 80.4K (50-mile) swim from
Chicago to Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA in 35 hours and 37 minutes in 1962, and a 96.5K (60-mile) swim
from Chicago to St. Joseph, Michigan, USA in 37 hours and 25 minutes in 1963.
He also guided four protégés across the English Channel, did a 19K (12-mile) Chain o' Lakes swim from
Winter Haven, Florida to Cypress Gardens in 1961 and a 64K (40-mile) pool swim (of 3,520 lengths) at
Illinois Athletic Club in Chicago in 1963 in 22 hours and 17 minutes.
Maurice trained English Channel relay teams and three solo channel swimmers and was awarded the
Association's James Brennan Trophy in 1992, the Harry Moffatt Trophy in 1994, the Veteran Swimmer of
the Year Trophy in 1983 and the Eileen Butcher Trophy as the eldest swimmer in the Association‟s
Veterans Championship in 2003.
Commander Forsberg was the British Long Distance Swimming Association champion in Windermere
(1957-1958), Tobray (1958), Loch Lomond (1959) and the record holder in Lough Neagh, Morecambre
Bay 2-way, Windermere 2-way, and the English Channel (record holder between 1957 and 1959 from
England to France). He also set a record in the Bristol Channel in 1964 and completed over 14,162K
(8,800 miles) of swimming in open water.
He was also the president of the British Long Distance Swimming Association between 1982 and 1983,
president of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and a Life Member of the Scottish
Amateur Swimming Association.
He was the author of three books, numerous articles promoting the Royal and Merchant Navy's
swimming, live saving interests and long distance swimming and was a regular columnist for the Nautical
Magazine since 1957 and Swimming Times promoting long distance swimming for 40 years. His
publications include Long Distance Swimming (1957), First Stokes in Swimming (1961), Modern Long
Distance Swimming (1963), Salvage from the Sea (1977) and numerous short stories, articles and papers
for general periodicals and technical journals.
In 1998, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a Pioneer Contributor.
Due to his hard-work in the 1980‟s and early 1990‟s, New York City is now a visually dynamical hotbed of
marathon swimming, world renowned for its Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. As a pool swimmer, Drury
set 27 FINA Masters world record and later he founded the Manhattan Island Swimming Association that
will be his tremendously appreciated legacy as a memorial to his son, Drury, Jr. who died in a tragic
accident. Drury is leaving one big wake - as an athlete and an open water swimming visionary.
In 1969, she trained Jon Erikson, then the youngest male to swim the English Channel. In 1976, she
trained Jon again when he broke his father‟s double-crossing English Channel record with a time of 30
hours. In 1981, she trained Jon for the first triple-crossing of the English Channel in 38 hours and 27
minutes. She also trained a number of other successful English Channel swimmers including Father
Robert Manning, the only Catholic priest to cross the English Channel in a time of 18 hours and 15
minutes in 1984.
With the money she earned from her swims, she established the Mercedes Gleitze Home for the
Homeless in Leicester, England which opened in1933 until it was destroyed during World War II.
Over the course of his varied and three-decade career, Bill participated in nine Canadian National
Exhibition swims, one of the most prestigious marathon swims of its era, between 1931 and 1954 with
many top five finishes.
In the later stages of his career, Bill also participated in at least five 22.5-mile swims around Atlantic City
in New Jersey between 1954 and 1959, always finishing in the top 10 despite being between 47 and 51
years old.
To make ends meet, he traveled as a high diver with a carnival during the Great Depression between
1935-1939. Truly an early pioneer and a rare one, doubling as a high diver.
In 1966, she set an all comers, amateur and women‟s record for Lake Windermere. She won five British
Long Distance Swimming Association Lake Windermere 16K (10-mile) Championships, four Torbay
Championships and the British Long Distance Swimming Association 20.9K (13-mile) Fleetwood to
Morecambe Championship.
In 1967, she set a new France-to-England record across the English Channel.
Christopher is credited with creating the modern format of the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim together with
Sid Cassidy and Dennis Miller. He has been instrumental in the sport as a race organizer, behind-the-
scenes administrator and race official who has written manuals, worked as support crew, lobbyist and
historian throughout Oceania, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe.
Christopher was a FINA-accredited Open Water Swimming Referee between 1992 – 2008 and manager
of the Australian Open Water Swimming Team between 1991 – 1996, and a member of the FINA Open
Water Swimming Technical Committee between 1996 – 2000. .
He is also a life member and representative of the Channel Swimming Association and was the referee at
the 1998 Perth World Championships. He organized the open water events at the 1998 Brisbane
Oceania Championships, the 1999 Melbourne Pan Pacific Championships, 2003 Fiji South Pacific
Games, 1991-2008 Tasmania Open Water Swimming Championships and the 2007 Darwin Arafura
Games as as well as lectured at the Argentina International Open Water Swimming Clinic, the Fiji
Technical Officials Clinic, the Mombassa, Kenya Technical Officials Clinic. He also refereed, managed
swimmers or lectured in Dubai, Hawaii, Suva (Fiji), Cairns, Melbourne, Rarotonga (Cook Islands),
Rotorua (New Zealand), Tasmania, Bali (Indonesia), Lac Chibougamau (Canada), Rosario (Argentina),
Lac Memphramagog (Canada), Lac St-Jean (Canada), Saguenay River (Canada), Chicoutimi (Canada),
Nile river, Suez Canal, Atlantic City (New Jersey), Lake Michigan, Capri-Napoli (Italy), Lake Ontario,
Atlanta (Georgia), San Felice & Crotone (Italy), Terracina (Italy), Evian (France), 90K Relay from Malta to
Sicily and Lac La Tuque, an epic 24-hour race in Canada.
In Australia, Christopher was the Secretary of Australian Open Water Swimming Technical Committee
between 1988 – 2001, partly for which he received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. He was the
founder of the Australian Long Distance Swimming Federation, which he started to lead from Tasmania in
1973, and a bureau member of the International Long Distance Swimming Federation, which existed
between its founding in Paris in 1953 until 1974. He also co-authored with Bill Ford the comprehensive
and authoritative Australian Long Distance and Marathon Swimming Manual and helped draft the FINA
Open Water Swimming Manual.
He won the 1955 Butlin English Channel race in 11 hours and 44 minutes and was the 1964, 1965, and
1968 World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation Champion. He won the 37K (23-mile) la
Descente ou remontée du Saguenay in 1968 after returning from the Egyptian-Israel War of 1967 in 9
hours and 10 minutes in 1968 and in 1969 when the race was called after 30.5K (19 miles) before of
worsening conditions.
No body of water was too difficult for Abou Heif to challenge and complete. He was also voted into the
International Swimming Hall of Fame.
During his 1967 Molokai Channel swim, Dr. Huffaker saw a large shark underneath him and immediately
headed for his escort boat, but the shark then swam between him and his boat, which was too far away
for an easy escape. He continued on and ultimately reached his goal after 16 hours.
Dr. Huffaker was the first person to cross the 30-mile Alenuihaha Channel in 20 hours between the Big
Island of Hawaii and Maui in 1970 after his initial failure of 17 hours. He crossed from Molokai to Oahu in
1967 and was the first person to cross between Oahu to Molokai in 1972 after a failed 20-hour attempt
when he ran into strong currents, a tiger shark and a brood of Portuguese Man-o-War.
At the age of 50 in 1989, he swam from Lanai to Maui, then Maui to Molokai, then attempted to complete
his final Molokai-to-Maui leg before being pulled after 18 hours. He has swum the Maui Channel three
times, is the first person to cross the 9.3-mile Kalohi Channel (1989) from Molokai to Lanai, has crossed
the 8.5-mile Palilolo Channel from Maui to Molokai (1989). A lifetime of success that followed some
dramatic failures has proven Dr. Huffaker to be a true pioneer of Hawaiian Islands channel swimming
community.
He piloted many record-breaking English Channel swims including the crossing of Brojan Das in the 1958
Bultin Race, the 1959 crossing of Abilio Couto in an England-to-France record of 12 hours and 49
minutes, the 1961 crossing of Dorothy Perkins in the earliest date the English Channel had ever been
swum in 20 hours and 26 minutes, the 1961 crossing of Rosemary George, the 1961 crossing of
Margaret White, then the youngest ever to swim from England to France, Brojan Das‟ record crossing
from France to England in 10 hours and 35 minutes, Kevin Murphy‟s double-crossing and the 1971
He was also honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Open Water Swimmer.
races at both 10K (6.2-mile) and 25K (15.5-mile) distances. She won the 2007 world 25K (15.5-mile)
championships and silvers in the 2003 and 2005 world 25K (15.5-mile) championships. She also won a
bronze at the 2005 world 10K (6.2-mile) championship and a bronze in the 2003 world 5K (3.1-mile)
championships. She also won 3 gold medals in the 5K (3.1-mile), 10K (6.2-mile) and 25K (15.5-mile)
European Open Water Championships in 2004.
During 1988, Vicki first and only person to swim across all five of the North American Great Lakes – all
within an astounding 61-day period. She swam 51.5K (32 miles) in Lake Ontario in 23 hours and 30
minutes, 38.6K (24 miles) of butterfly in Lake Ontario, 32K (20 miles) in 17 hours in Lake Superior, 72.4K
(45 miles) in 53 hours in Lake Michigan, 77K (48 miles) in 46 hours and 55 minutes in Lake Huron, and
32K (20 miles) in 20 hours in Lake Erie.
During 1987, Vicki did the first double-crossing (64 miles) of Lake Ontario in 56 hours and 10 minutes. In
1986, she did a 129 hour and 45 minute continuous pool swim in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In 1985,
she did a 100-hour continuous pool swim in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In 1985, she did 12 miles of
butterfly in 11 hours and 30 minutes in Lake Ontario.
Vicki has won numerous awards and honors from dozens of government agencies in Canada. She
coaches children with disabilities, Carlos Costa, a double leg amputee who became the first disabled
athlete to swim across Lake Ontario, and Ashley Cowan, a quadruple amputee who swam across Lake
Erie. Herpositive spirit and tireless dedication has changed attitudes towards total inclusion for children
with disabilities in the sports of swimming and marathon swimming.
life story inspired the MGM classic Million Dollar Mermaid starring her heir apparent Esther Williams. She
has also been honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
the 1995 European 25K Championships in Italy. He also swam the English Channel in 8 hours and 19
minutes in 2003.
During the ill-fated attempt by Jason Zirganos, he tried to revive the Greek major. Bill piloted Kevin
Murphy‟s 1970 and 1971 crossings of the Irish Channel when he devised the course which brought
success despite there are islands off the coast where the tide runs three hours one way and nine hours
the other.
She also coached her niece, Bernice Looney, who was crowned the US Junior National Distance
Champion in 1942 and who won the 1947 and 1948 Canadian National Exhibition swims. May and her
niece competed together at the Canadian National Exhibitions in 1947 and 1948.
Cliff's most famous swim was the 51.5K (32-mile) Canadian National Exhibition swim in 1955. The 35
starters dropped out with Cliff the only one left in the water; however, after 26 miles, he had also started
to tire. The remaining 9.6K (6 miles) involved lots of media involvement - leading local businessmen to
add numerous extra items to the $15,000 first prize. One offer, involving $1 for every stroke used on the
last 8K (5 miles), added another $15,000 to the prize. Other offers involved a hunting lodge and a house.
The result was that Cliff was the only finisher, with prizes, gifts (hunting lodge and house) and consumer
endorsements that totaled US$84,000.
His cold-water abilities were reflected in his 1956 11 hour and 35 minute crossing of the Straits of Juan de
Fuca between the state of Washington and Vancouver Island in 8.8°C (48°F) water.
In the 35K (22-mile) professional Around-the-Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA, he finished
second in 1954 in 9 hours and 25 minutes, a close second in 9 hours and 56 minutes in 1955, finished
first in 9 hours and 51 minutes in 1956, second in 12 hours and 9 minutes in 1958, first in 10 hours and
54 minutes in 1959, second in 10 hours and 40 minutes in 1960, third in 11 hours and 36 minutes in
1961, second in 12 hours and 1 minutes in 1962, fourth in 12 hours and 13 minutes in 1963 and fourth in
10 hours and 32 minutes in 1964. He finished third in 7 hours and 22 minutes in the 37K (23-mile) la
Descente ou remontée du Saguenay in Canada in 1965 and tied for third in 6 hours and 39 minutes in
1966.
In the Canadian National Exhibition professional marathon swims in Toronto, he finished fifth in the 16K
(10-mile) 1948 race in 4 hours and 47 minutes, first in the 24K (15-mile) 1949 race in 7 hours and 54
minutes, first in the 24K (15-mile) 1950 race in 7 hours and 18 minutes, third in the 16K (10-mile) 1951
race in 4 hours and 32 minutes, first in the 16K (10-mile) 1952 race in 4 hours and 24 minutes, first in the
16K (10-mile) 1953 race in 4 hours and 26 minutes, first in the 51.5K (32-mile) 1955 race in 19 hours and
48 minutes, fourth in the 15-mile 1961 race in 7 hours and 36 minutes, second in the 24K (15-mile) 1962
race in 7 hours and 26 minutes, and sixth in the 24K (15-mile) 1963 race in 7 hours and 58 minutes.
In 1949, he won the Lou Marsh Trophy for the outstanding Canadian Athlete of the Year. The Cliff
Lumsdon Award is presented for outstanding achievement in marathon swimming in association Ontario.
In 1972, Cliff was elected president of the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation.
In the USA, she completed in the Swim Across the Sound and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in
New York, the Boston Harbor Swim and the Egg Rock Scramble in Massachusetts, the Candlewood Lake
swim in Connecticut.
Alawi finished third in the 1977 Arab Nations English Channel Race in 8 hours and 54 minutes, and won
the 1978 race in 9 hours and 54 minutes. In 1979, he finished third in 9 hours and 56 minutes in the
jointly organized Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation and Channel Swimming Association race and fifth
in the 1981 race in 10 hours and 33 minutes.
At 15, Susie was the youngest and fastest Australian to swim the English Channel. She also swam from
Mexico to Cuba, secured a Guinness Book of World Records listing for the longest distance swum in 24
hours (93.6K or 58 miles), the fastest swim in the Manhattan Island Marathon Race in 7 hours and 7
minutes, the 26K (16-mile) Lake Zurich Marathon Race in 6 hours and 3 minutes, and swimming from the
Sydney Opera House at Circular Quay to Manly Wharf as a farewell swim.
Her awards include the Order of Australia, and Outstanding Achievement Award from the NSW
Government. Susie is the Ambassador for the Asthma Foundation, Ambassador for Special Olympics
Australia and spokesperson for the Leukemia Foundation.
Dennis is also a leader in the administration and organization of marathon swimming. He became
president of the World Professional Marathon Swimming Association and was one of the founders and
chairman of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
He coached Penny Dean to become the women‟s world marathon swimming champion on her first year
on the professional circuit.
Yuko's long international marathon swimming career includes a number of professional swims in Serbia
(the 19K Jarak-Sabac), Greece (the 15K Crossing of Toroeos Gulf and 16K Trichonida Marathon in 6:29
and the 30K Kalamata-Koroni Marathon Swim in 8:47 and 10:47), Argentina (the 22K and 57K Rosario
Marathons 9 times, 88K Hernandarias-Parana Marathon in 10:27, 10:08, 10:20, 10:47 and 11:04, the 56K
Santa Fe-Coronda Marathon Swim in 9:48 and 9:37, the 25K Mar del Plata), the USA (the 35K Around
Atlantic City Marathon Swim in 8:46, 10:17, 9:08, 9:14, 12:10, 9:26 and 9:13, the 25K Swim Across The
Sound in 7:37, 7:30, 8:33, 8:46 and 8:06, Bermuda (the 10K Round the Sound), Canada (a double
crossing of Lake Memphremagog and the 40K Traversee du lac Memphremagog in 11:24, 13:09, 11:01
and 11:48, and 40K lac St-Jean), Italy (the 27K Teraccina Marathon in 9:30, the 35K Riviera Marathon in
10:03 and the Capri-Napoli Marathon in 8:46, 9:42, 9:57 and 11:30) and the 20K Trasimeno Marathon in
4:57), Brazil (the 27K Tapes Marathon in 7:40 and 9:01 and 8:30), France (the 25k Lac Du Bourget) and
several 12- and 24-hour non-stop swims on behalf of the YMCA Youth Scholarship Fund.
At the 2000 World Open Water Swimming Championships, David won a gold medal in the 25-kilometer
race and two silver medals in the 5K (3.1-mile) and 10K (6.2-mile) race to single-handedly lead Spain to a
silver-medal team finish.
David competed in over 200 open water swims, including several unprecedented solo swims. He swam
110K (68.3 miles) from Tenerife Island to Gran Canaria Island in 23 hours and 50 minutes in 2002 and
130K (80.7 miles) from the Spanish mainland to Ibiza Island in 26 hours and 30 minutes in 2006. He
broke the Strait of Gibraltar record by more than 40 minutes with a 2 hour and 29 minute crossing in
1999. He also did a 14 hour and 5 minute triple crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar in 2008. He swam from
Gomera Island to Tenerife Island in the Canary Islands in 8 hours and swam 100K (62 miles) up the
Guadalquivir River in Spain against the current in 2007.
He swam the English Channel twice: in 7 hours and 40 minutes in 2004 and 7 hours and 22 minutes in
2005 for which he received the 2004 and 2005 Rolex Trophy for the fastest times of the season.
Sally swam 18.5K (11.5 miles) across Lake Windermere in 1874 and first swam in English Channel in
1975 in 11 hours and 57 minutes to win the Captain Webb Memorial trophy for the fastest British crossing
of the year. She represented Jersey in the 25.7K (16-mile) Lake Windermere International Race in 1975,
represented Great Britain in a 1977 8K (5-mile) race in Belgium and a 25.7K (16-mile) race in Holland.
She swam 22.5K (14 miles) from Jersey to France in 1978 and swam the English Channel for the second
time in 1985 in 15 hours and 3 minutes. She swam the English Channel, from France to England, for the
third time in 12 hours and 8 minutes and swum 65.9K (41 miles) around Jersey in 10 hours and 47
minutes, both in 1992. She swam around Manhattan Island in New York in 7 hours and 19 minutes and
swam around Sark in the Channel Islands in 4 hours and 25 minutes, both in 1999. In 2005, she swam
the English Channel for the fourth time in 13 hours and 25 minutes in 2005.
She has trained 20 Round Jersey swimmers (66K or 41 miles) and 10 English Channel swimmers (to
date).
He participated in the 1979 Lake Windermere International Swimming Marathon, the 40.2K (25-mile)
Cyprus-International Swimming Marathon in 1980, the Sabac-International Swimming Marathon in 1981,
the 40.2K (25-mile) Venice-International Swimming Marathon in 1982, the 24K (15-mile) Long Beach
International Swimming Marathon in California, USA in 1984, the 25.7K (16-mile) Stari-Grad International
Swimming Marathon in Yugoslavia in 1984, the Cancun International Marathon Swim in Mexico in 1987,
the 42K (26-mile) Traversée Internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada in 1988, the 36K (22.5-
mile) Around-the-Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA in 1988 and the 57K (35.4 mile) Maratón
Acuática International Sante Fe - Coronda Swim in Argentina in 1988.
He did a 21 hour and 37 minute double-crossing of the English Channel in 1984 and held various
managerial positions for the Egyptian national swimming team and Egyptian Long Distance Swimming
Federation.
In the late 1990‟s, Jim established the Moran Learn to Swim Endowment Fund at the International
Swimming Hall of Fame.
He also swam the 36K (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA in 1985, the 42K (26-
mile) Traversée Internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada in 1984 and 1985, the 34K (21-mile)
Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Canada in 1984, the 38.6K (24-mile) Los Cabos Marathon
Swim in Mexico in 1984 and the 45.8K (28.5-mile) Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 1984. He won the
25K (16-mile) International Long-Distance Swimming Championships in Lake Windermere, England in
1982 and two USA National 10-mile championships in 1982 and 1991.
He coached several USA Swimming national open water swimming teams, wrote the Open Water
Swimming Dictionary, wrote Open Water Swimming – Swimming Without Lines, received the 2010 Irving
Davids / Captain Wheeler Award and was the NBC Olympics commentator for the first Olympic 10K
Marathon Swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
His English Channel swims include his double-crossing in 35 hours and 10 minutes in 1970, his England-
France-England swim in 1975 in 36 hours and 3 minutes which was notable because he was ordered out
of the water because of bad weather after swimming non-stop for 52 hours and 30 minutes when he was
halfway back on his third leg and his France-England-France swim in 1987 in 32 hours and 42 minutes.
Kevin‟s single English Channel crossings include England-France in 1968 in 15 hours and 55 minutes,
England-France in 1976 in 15 hours and 0 minutes, France-England in 1976 in 15 hours 32 minutes,
England-France in 1977 in 14 hours and 5 minutes, England-France in 1977 in 14 hours and 14 minutes,
France-England in 1979 in 22 hours and 42 minutes, England-France in 1980 in 17 hours and 28 minutes
for which he was awarded the Channel Swimming Association‟s Endurance Trophy after swimming for 32
hours and 42 minute as he was within four miles of completing a double-crossing, England-France in
1982 in 15 hours and 12 minutes, England-France in 1982 in 21 hours and 22 minutes, England-France
in 1983 in 15 hours and 29 minutes, France-England in 1983 in 15 hours and 25 minutes, France-
England in 1984 in 14 hours and 58 minutes, France-England in 1990 in 13 hours and 16 minutes in the
earliest Channel swim ever on May 29th, England-France in 1991 in 13 hours and 58 minutes, England-
France in 1991 in 15 hours and 26 minutes, England-France in 1991 in 17 hours and 6 minutes, France-
England in 1992 in 15 hours and 5 minutes, France-England in 1993 in 14 hours and 37 minutes, France-
England in 1994 in 15 hours, England-France in 1995 in 18 hours and 27 minutes, England-France in
1995 in 15 hours and 38 minutes, France-England in 1996 in 15 hours and 30 minutes, England-France
in 1997 in 15 hours and 45 minutes, England-France in 1999 in 13 hours and 53 minutes, England-
France in 2000 in 14 hours and 29 minutes, England-France in 2000 in 15 hours and 10 minutes,
England-France in 2005 in 13 hours and 35 minutes and England-France in 2006 in 15 hours and 14
minutes for his 34th crossing.
Kevin also participated in the following English Channel relays: France-England Channel Relay record in
1965 as a member of Phoenicians SC team which set the then team record of 9 hours and 58 minutes,
England-France Channel Relay in 1987 with the Marrow Environment Project charity team, England-
France Channel Relay in 1987 with the Channel Swimming Association Diamond Jubilee Team, England-
France Channel Relay in 1991 with the Daytrippers Team, England-France Channel Relay in 1992 with
the Barnet Copthall SC team, England-France Channel Relay in 2006 with Hubert House men‟s team.
His other relays included the Loch Ness Relay in 2000 and in 2005, the Round Jersey Relay in 2003, the
Loch Lomond 2-way Relay in 2002.
Kevin‟s other marathon swims include the 90K (56-mile) Round the Isle of Wight in the U.K. in 26 hours
and 51 minutes, the 37K (23-mile crossing of Loch Ness in Scotland in 1976 in 10 hours and 30 minutes,
the 30K (18.6-mile) Lake Como race in Italy in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1990, the 19.3K (12-
mile) Sydney Harbour Challenge Race in Australia in 1977 in 3 hours and 20 minutes, the 77.2K (48-mile)
Lake Balaton race in Hungary in 1973 in 43 hours and 15 minutes, 69K (43 miles) from Richmond to
Graveland in England in the River Thames in 1980 in 17 hours and 25 minutes, 40.2K (25 miles) from
Majorca to Minorca in the Spanish Balearic Islands in 15 hours and 10 minutes, the Maratona del Golfo –
Capri-Napoli in Italy in 1974 in 12 hours and 15 minutes, the 37K (23-mile) Nile Marathon Race in Egypt
in 11 hours and 9 minutes, the 9.6K (6-mile) Across the Sea of Galilee Swim in Israel, across the Bristol
Channel from England to Wales, 27K (17 miles) Skegness to Hunstanton in England in 13 hours and
54minutes in 1973 and in 7 hours and 47 minutes in 1976, a 33.7K (21-mile) double-crossing of Lake
Windermere in England, 38.6K (24-mile) Scottish ASA Championship in Loch Lomond in Scotland (where
none of the other swimmers were able to finish), the 42K (26-mile) Marathon du Saaguenay in Canada in
1988 in 7 hours and 4 minutes, the Strait of Gibraltar in 2000 from Tarifa, Spain to Punta Cires, Morocco
in 5 hours and 18 minutes, 48.2K (30 miles) across the Chicago Skyline from Evanston, Illinois to
Hammond, Indiana in 23 hours and 31 minutes.
In 2007, Kevin swam 24K (15 miles) from Valentia to Couminole Beach in Dingle Bay in Ireland in 7 hours
and 45 minutes, won the 3.7K Sognfjord Swim Festival Challenge Race in Norway 1 hour and 32
minutes, swam 27.5K (17 miles) in the Aurlandsfjord, Norway in 10 hours and 46 minutes, 1.5 miles from
Alcatraz Island to Aquatic Park, San Francisco, 1 mile across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco,
40K (25 miles) across the Santa Barbara Channel from the Santa Cruz Island to Santa Barbara,
California in 17 hours and 31 minutes.
Other swims include 15 hours and 4 minutes across Loch Lomond in 1967 and 12 hours and 53 minutes
in 1979, double-crossing of Lake Windermere in 1969, 45K (28 miles) across the Bristol Channel in 1972
from North Devon to Porthcawl in 15 hours and 8 minutes, 37K (23 miles) across Loch Ness in 1976 in
10 hours and 30 minutes, 33.7K (21 miles) across Lake Tahoe between California and Nevada, USA in
2003 in 13 hours and 56 minutes, 35.4K (22 miles) across the Catalina Channel in California in 2003 in
15 hours and 23 minutes, the 45K (28.5-mile) Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 2001 in 9
hours and 2 minutes, 17.7K (11 miles) across Lake Mergozzo in Italy in 1989, across Table Bay, Cape
Town, South Africa in 1973 in 3 hours and 45 minutes, a double-crossing in Table Bay between Blouberg
to Robben Island in 1973, a 22K (13.6-mile) double-crossing of Table Bay in 1987 between Three Anchor
Bay to Robben Island in 10 hours and 38 minutes, a 2 hour and 7 minutes crossing across Table Bay in
1987 from Robben Island to Blouberg, a 3-mile swim in Lake Bala in North Wales in 1963, 10.5-mile swim
across Lake Windermere in 6 hours and 29 minutes in 1964 and 6 hours and 34 minutes in 1967, an 8-
mile swim in Torbay (Torquay-Brixham-Torquay) in 3 hours and 51 minutes in 1966, 3 hours and 57
minutes in 1969, 3 hours and 37 minutes in 1971, 4 hours and 41 minutes in 1972, 3 hours and 40
minutes in 1976, 10 miles in the Weymouth-Lulworth Cove in 1966 in 4 hours and 50 minutes, 7 miles
from Walton to Clacton in 1972 and 1974, 6 miles from Folkestone to Dover in 1972 in 1 hour and 51
minutes, Belfast Lough from Whitehead to Bangor in Northern Ireland in 1974, from Gorey to Bouley Bay
in Jersey in the Channel Islands in 1974 in 2 hours and 52 minutes, from Mumbles to Aberavon in South
Wales in 1976 in 2 hours and 55 minutes, across Lake Windermere in 5 hours and 55 minutes in 1979
and in 5 hours and 45 minutes in 2006, two-way Solent between Ryde to Southsea in 3 hours and 34
minutes, 8-mile Solent Challenge 2000 from Yarmouth to Gurnard on the Isle of Wight in 2 hours and 45
minutes.
Kevin has completed the Irish Channel three times in total, including the harder Ireland-to-Scotland route.
He swam from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 1970 in 11 hours and 21 minutes to set a record that stood
for 18 years with the water temperature between 8.8-13.3°C (48-56°F), from Northern Ireland to Scotland
in 1971 in 14 hours and 35 minutes, and from Scotland to Northern Ireland in 1989 in 17 hours and 17
minutes.
Kevin was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2009.
involving endurance and did much to support marathon swimming in New England. He promoted the
efforts of Jim Doty, Ralph Willard and the New England Marathon Association. His writing told the story of
the technical aspects of the marathon swimming and the inner drive needed by the swimmer to complete
the course. His reports on the annual swim from the Boston Light House to the L Street Bathhouse and
other marathon swims gave the impression of being on the swimmer‟ escort craft and observing the swim
stroke-by-stroke.
In the midst of the American Great Depression, Duke‟s five professional victories earned him US$30,000.
Confident in his abilities, Duke bet that he would complete the first double-crossing of the English
Channel and raised US$25,000 against 50-to-1 odds that he could accomplish his goal. But he never
was able to achieve his goal due to the outbreak of World War II.
Cindy competed in the 32K (20-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean races in 1976, 1977 and
1978. Her other achievements include her appointment to the Order of Canada in 1979 and the
Canadian Women Athlete of the Year.
The Lake Ontario swim was the first time a swimmer swam north to south from Toronto to New York as it
was against the currents of the Niagara River. In 1975, she swam around Manhattan Island in New York
to break a 50-year-old record. In 1972, she became the first person to swim 165K (102.5 miles) from the
Bahamas to Florida (North Bimini to Juno Beach). She attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida in 1978,
but withdrew after 42 hours and 160K (99.7 miles).
Diana has written three books including Other Shores on her experiences in marathon swimming.
Michael was one of the founding members of the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation in 1998. He
helped set up the Federation, its documentation, rules and constitution and obtained Government
recognition and governing body status as its Honorary Secretary in 1999. His English Channel website is
comprehensive in its scope and he has influenced the method in which English Channel swims are
planned.
To date, Michael has escorted over 500 English Channel crossings with a 75% success rate. His
successes include two of the three triple-crossings (Philip Rush in 1987 in 28 hours and 21minutes and
Alison Streeter in 1990 in 34 hours and 40 minutes), the only relay quadruple-crossing (Sun Rice
Australia in 1993 in 43 hours and 7 minutes), the only Belgium-to-England relay (RAF Air Force in 1995 in
27 hours and 56 minutes).
He was the first men to cross 20K (12.4 miles) in Lake Titicaca from Peru to Bolivia in 12°C (53.6°F) in 5
hours and 6 minutes 1997. He swam 2K in 3°C (37.4°F) for 21 minutes to become the first person to
compete the Beagle Crossing from Argentina to Chile. He also completed a triple-crossing of the Beagle
Crossing in 7°C (44.6°F) in 1 hour and 9 minutes in 1998.
Penny Palfrey
Penny became the second person ever to swim the treacherous, shark-infested 70K Alenuihaha Channel
from the Big Island of Hawaii to Maui in 2009 in 14 hour and 51 minutes. She quickly followed up that
effort with a 14.5K (8.8-mile) swim across the Maui Channel from Maui to Lanai, becoming the first
women to achieve this feat. She won the women‟s division in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim for
three years in a row. She participated in the 120K triple-crossing of Lake Taupo, the biggest lake in New
Zealand, finishing in 33 hours and 33 minutes with five teammates. She was the first person to swim 64K
from Santa Barbara Island to the California mainland in 17 hours and 53 minutes as well as the 27-mile
(46K) Santa Barbara Channel from San Miguel Island to the California mainland and the 10K Santa Rosa
Island to Santa Cruz Island off of the California coast and tried twice to swim the 72-mile Kaieiewaho
Channel between the islands of Oahu and Kauai in Hawaii.
She won the 2008 24-mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim and completed an English Channel crossing in 9
hours and 16 minutes in 2006 and a Strait of Gibraltar crossing in 4 hours and 31 minutes in 2006 and an
8 hour and 27 minute crossing of the Cook Strait in 2006. She completed the Rottnest Channel Swim
from 2000 – 2008 and was the Australian 25K national champion in 1993 – 1994 with second in 2001 and
2007.
When FINA formed a commission to study the feasibility of adding open water events to their program,
Roger was selected to represent England on the FINA Open Water Commission and was largely
responsible for adapting the British Long Distance Swimming Association and Channel Swimming
Association rules into the FINA Open Water Swimming Rules.
When FINA relaxed its rules on professionalism, Roger and Valeria established a FINA World Series of
Marathon Swimming. Roger combined several independently run professional races into a single
cohesive body. As the FINA Open Water commitment grew, Roger was appointed to the Open Water
Sub-Committee of the Technical Swimming Committee and then to the Technical Open Water Swimming
Committee. The Parsons established the World Series of Marathon Swimming.
He later became the Executive Secretary of the International Marathon Swimming Association (IMSA)
and attended all of the ten IMSA swims in Europe, South and North America. Eventually, FINA took over
the administrative functions of the IMSA.
36K (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA, the 30K (18.6-mile) Paris swim,
the 18.5K (11.5-mile) Ouver-Sur-Oise swim and the 100K (62-mile) Angers-Ancenis-Nantes swim.
In 1959, Batista swam 204K (127 miles) down the River Tagus in Portugal. He swam the Straits of
Gibraltar in 1953 and 1956 while setting records. He was the winner of the 1954 Butlin‟s English Channel
race and finished third in the1959 race. In l959, he claimed the European Distance record by swimming
206K (128 miles) in the Tejo River in Portugal in a time of 28 hours and 43 minutes.
In 1985, he became the oldest swimmer to swim across the Catalina Channel and also swam around
Manhattan Island. He has served as the Secretary of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
and has promoted the induction of the finest marathon swimmers in the world into the International
Swimming Hall of Fame.
He has competed in the prestigious 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean in Canada
over 25 times. He won the 64K (39.7-mile) double-crossing of the Traversée internationale du Lac St-
Jean in Canada two times. He has won every major professional marathon race, some several times. A
partial list of his victories include the 42K (26-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in
Canada, the 36K (22.5-mile) Around the Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA, the 32K (20-mile)
Maratona del Golfo – Capri-Napoli, the 58K (36-mile) Santa Fe-Coronda race in Argentina, 29K (18-mile)
Paspebiac swim in Canada, the 51.5K (32-mile) Lake Ontario swim in Canada, he 88K (54.6-mile)
Hernandaras-Parana swim in Argentina, the 45K (28-mile) Saguenay River swim in Canada, the 24-hour
Lac La Tuque relay in Canada, and the Suez Canal, Port Said and Nile River swims in Egypt.
He is the race director for the 38.6K (24-mile) Mar de Plata and Rosario Marathon Swims in Argentina,
coaches and escorts swimmers participating on the professional circuit, and has participated as a guest
presenter at FINA Open Water Swimming seminars.
He also coached several swimmers to victory in the 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-
Jean including Carlos Larriera, Herman Willemse of the Netherlands in 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964,
Horacio Iglesias of Argentina in 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, John Kinsella of the USA from 1974
to 1979, Robert Lachance, Paul Asmuth of the USA, Obert Lachance of Canada in 1982 and 1983, his
daughter Christine Cossette of Canada in 1987, 1988 and 1990, and Vicky Keith in 1990.
He also coached Canada‟s national long distance teams for the World Swimming Championships in
Australia in 1991 and Rome in 1994 and presided over Swim Canada‟s long distance swimming
committee.
During his marathon swimming career, Frank out-swam several of the better known marathon swimmers
of his era. He beat Americans Marvin Nelson and Clarence Ross, Canadian George Young, Italian Gianni
Gambi and German Ernest Vierkoetter.
Between 1930 and 1937, Frank participated in the most prestigious marathon swimming event of the
time, the Canadian National Exhibition swims in Toronto, Canada. In 1931, he finished fourth. In 1933, he
finished third. In 1934 and 1935, he finished second. In 1936, he finally won. In 1937, he defended his
title and set a race record that lasted more than 10 years.
He also won the 1934 Hearst 24K (15-mile) Swim in Lake Michigan in Chicago, USA and the 1934 and
1935 Blue Water Carnival 19.3K (12-mile) Swim from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada to St. Clair, Michigan,
USA.
Mike has completed over 110 swims greater than 16K (9.9 miles) with most of his swims in cold water
ranging from 6°-15°C (42°-60°F). He was the Lake Windermere Champion between 1969 and 1977,
setting a record six times. He swam 96.5K (60 miles) around Isle of Wright in 24 hours and 36 minutes,
35.4K (22 miles) across Loch Lomond, 25.7K (16 miles) across Loch Eurn, 25.7K (16 miles) across Lock
Tay, 40K (25 miles) between Jeble and Latakia in Syria 25K, and 25K (15.5 miles) between Evian to
Lausanne in Switzerland.
He was the 1960 and 1961 British Long Distance Champion, the double-crossing 33.7K (21-mile) Lake
Windermere Champion for nine consecutive years between 1969 and 1977. He was the third person to
swim the 38.6K (24-mile) Loch Ness in 14 hours and 23 minutes in 6°-7°C (42.8°-44.7°F) water. He was
the first to swim Loch Lomond twice (35.4K or 22 miles) once in 12 hours and 13 minutes and later in 11
hours and 51 minutes. He set record for the 14.4K (9-mile) Loch Rannoch swim in 1975 in 5 hours and 8
minutes and completed the first 16K (10-mile) swim from Kings Lynn to Downham Market in England in
1975 in 4 hours and 54 minutes.
He was the first person to swim 64.3K or 40 miles between Hunstanton and Skegness and Hunstanton,
65K (40 miles) from Mora to Amposta in Spain in 1998 in 14 hours and 57 minutes, 37.8K (23.5 miles)
from Perth to Broughty Ferry in Australia in 1974 in 9 hours and 43 minutes, 25.7K (16 miles) between
Hunstanton-Skegness in 1975 in 8 hours and 30 minutes, 18K (11.1 miles) in a double-crossing of Lake
Sursee in Switzerland, a 49.8K (31-mile) triple-crossing of Lake Windermere in 19 hours and 0 minutes, a
67.5K (42-mile) quadruple-crossing of Lake Windermere in 26 hours and 3 minutes.
He completed a 40.2K (25-mile) Nile International Championship in 1977, 40.2K (25 miles) from Jeble to
Latakia in Syria in 1977, 28.9K (18 miles) from Jarach to Sabac in Yugoslavia in 1990, 32K (20 miles)
across Lake Como from Dervio to Lecco in 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1989, 48K (28.5 miles) around
Manhattan Island in New York, USA in 1989, Torregaveta Baia Bacoli in 1986 and 1987, 32K (20 miles)
across Lake Zurich from Rapperswill to Zurich in 1988, was the 25.7K (16-mile) Windermere International
Champion in 1970 and did the 25.7K (16-mile) Windermere International in 1974, 1978 and 1982, swum
16.8K (10.5 miles) across Lake Windermere 39 times, swam 20.9K (13 miles) from Fleetwood to
Morecambe in England, swam four times in Morecambe Cross Bay race, won the International Olympic
Committee Championship between Evian and Lausanne in Switzerland in 1991 and 1993, won the
International Olympic Committee Championship between Lausanne and Evian in 1992 and 1994,
participated in the 25K (15.5-mile) Gulf of Toroneos swim in Greece in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, swam 9K (5.5 miles) from Proventura
to Lerici in Italy in 1993, participated in the British Amateur Swimming Association National 5K
Championship in 1966 (3rd), 1967 (3rd), 1968 (3rd), 1969 (5th), 1970 (3rd), 1971 (6th), participated in the
25K (15.5-mile) Amateur Swimming Association National Championship in 1996 (2nd) and 1999 (3rd),
Amateur Swimming Association Masters 5K Championship in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, swam 23K (14.2 miles) from Stavoren to
Medemblik in Isslmeer in Holland in 1998, 1999 and 2000, 33K (20.5 miles) from Koroni to Kalamata in
1999, 2000, 2001 and 2005, 33K (20.5 miles) from Kalamata to Koroni in 2003 and 2004, 23K (14.2
miles) across Lake Trichonida in 2000, and 25K (15.5 miles) in the World Marathon Series in Alexandria,
Egypt in 2000.
He was elected as the British Long Distance Swimming Association “Swimmer of the Year” in 1979 and
1999, honorary citizen of Dervio (Lake Como) in 1988, Honorary Citizen of Nikiti (Greece) in 1993,
He was the Channel Swimming Association Chairman since 1993 and an alternate member of the British
1960 Olympic team in the 800-meter freestyle relay and has served as a swimming administrator in one
capacity or another for almost 50 years. He was a FINA judge, timekeeper, referee and starter between
1969 and 1971, and received the Irving Davids / Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award in 2009.
Des swam the 22.5K (13.9-mile) Sydney Harbour swim from Luna Park to Manly and back in Australia.
He won a 60K (37.2-mile) race down the Murray River from Mindook Creek to Mildura in Australia in 1969
in 19 hours. He swam a 36.6K (22.7-mile) race across Queensland's Moreton Bay in Australia in 1973.
He completed a 90K (55.9-mile) ocean swim from Watsons Bay to Wollongong in 27 hours and 30
minutes in 1974. He set a record for a swim around Alcatraz Island in 1977.
He was first elected as committee member of the Channel Swimming Association in 1972 and has served
on various Channel swimming committees for 31 years. He was a founding member of the Channel
Swimming and Piloting Federation and was elected its President in 2002.
In 2003 he flew to Malaysia to officially observe Abdul Malik Mydin's swim from the Malaysian mainland to
Langkawi Island.
Known as “Big Moose”, Norman also entered the 1927 Wrigley Ocean Marathon from Catalina Island to
the California mainland and the 33.7K (21-mile) Canadian National Exhibition races in 1927 and 1928.
Philip also completed two double-crossings of the 25.7K (16-mile) Cook Strait in New Zealand (16 hours
16 minutes in 1984 and 18 hours 37 minutes in 1988). He also crossed the Cook (North to South) in 8
hours 56 minutes in 1979, placed second in a 38K (23.6-mile) professional marathon race in the Nile
River, Egypt in 1979, third in the 30K world championships in Italy in 1979, third in the 32K (20-mile)
Maratona del Golfo – Capri-Napoli world championships in Italy in 1981, seventh in the 34K (21-mile)
Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean professional race in 1981, first the 22K (13.6-mile) Wellington
Harbour in New Zealand race in 1982, first the 22K (13.6-mile) Otago Harbour in New Zealand race in
1982, first in the 24K (14.9-mile) Australian Championships in 1982, crossed the 32K Catalina Channel in
8 hours and 2 minutes in 1982, fifth in the 36K (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island professional marathon swim
in Atlantic City, USA in 1983, fifth in the 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean
professional race in 1983, fourth in the 48K (29.8-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog
professional race in 1983, first in the 29K (18-mile) Paspediac marathon race in Canada in 1983, fifth in
the 36K (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island professional marathon swim in Atlantic City, USA in 1984, eighth in
the 48K (29.8-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in 1984, fourth in the 42K (26-mile)
Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean professional race in 1984, second in the 29K (18-mile)
Paspediac marathon race in Canada in 1984, did the first 84K (52-mile) double-crossing of Lake Taupo in
23 hours and 6 minutes in New Zealand in 1985, did the Ironman Enduro Rotorua that included 10 hours
of swimming in 1985, finished sixth in the 48K (29.8-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac
Memphrémagog professional race in 1985, second in the 62K (38.5-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac
St-Jean double-crossing professional race in 1985 and 1986, fourth in the 48K (29.8-mile) Traversée
internationale du Lac Memphrémagog professional race in 1986, second in the 48K (29.8-mile) Traversée
internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in 1987, seventh in the 48K (29.8-mile) Traversée internationale du
Lac Memphrémagog in 1987 and crossed from Maori Kapiti Island to d‟Uurville Island in New Zealand.
Philip continues to play a valuable role as he coaches and advises swimmers who challenge the Cook
Strait. To date, he has coached 27 swimmers successfully across the Cook Strait and is helping develop
New Zealand's open water swimming program.
Gus swam in a number of Toronto's across-the-bay long distance races. In 1917, while playing hockey in
Toronto, he rescued two players who had fallen through the ice before himself being trapped under the
ice. He recalled that this was when he dedicated his life to swimming. Later, he was credited with 47
lifesaving rescues.
Bill was the Vice President of the International Professional Swimmers Association that was established
in 1927 in New York City. He participated in the 3-mile President's Cup Races across the Potomac River
between 1922 and 1925 and the 3.5 mile NYC Metropolitan AAU Senior Long Distance Championship at
Camp Ruddy. In 1930, he swam 11.6 miles from Coney Island to the Battery in Manhattan, in 3 hours and
39 minutes, and finished seventh in the 1948 Lake George, New York 12-mile race at the age of 46.
Prior to his successful swim from Battery Park to Liberty Island in New York City in 1930, Bill had
attempted the same swim in 1925, only to be carried out by a swift ebb tide. In 1927, Bill swam the first of
four 28.5-mile races around Manhattan Island, winning in 1928 as the only swimmer to finish.
Bill participated in 20, all but one, of the Canadian National Exhibition long distance swims in Toronto
between 1927 and 1955, ranging from 5 to 32 miles with third being his highest finish in 1949 when only
three swimmers completed the famously difficult race. Given the nickname 'The Swimming Grandfather'
in Canada, he remained competitive with younger swimmers into his 50's.
Bill made two successful Great Lakes crossings in the 1950s. At age 52, he competed in a 31.7-mile race
across Lake Erie from Point Pelee Park, Canada to the Cedar Point Resort in Sandusky, Ohio in 15 hours
and 30 minutes. In 1957, he became the oldest person to successfully swim 32 miles across Lake Ontario
from Fort Niagara, New York to Toronto, Canada.
Bill also participated in the inaugural 22.5-mile swim around Abescon Island in Atlantic City in 1954 where
he finished a respectable 11th place at age 52 against the best swimmers of that era.
His crossings included his 18 hour and 34 minute crossing in 1967 from France to England and his six
other crossings from England to France in 1968 (17 hours and 52 minutes), 1969 (14 hours and 29
minutes and 19 hours and 41 minutes), 1970 (15 hours and 14 minutes), 1973 (15 hours and 17 minutes)
and 1974 (13 hours and 42 minutes).
Joe won the Morecambe Inshore Championship in 1958 and 1959, the Morecambe Bay Championships
in 1959 and 1960, the 10.25-mile Windermere Championship in 1959, the Windermere Cross Lake
Championship in 1960, the Champion of Champions race in 1998.
Shelley won two 25K world championships and two 25K Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. She was
a four-time World and Australian Long Distance Swimmer of the Year between 1988 and 1997, set the
record for the 79K (49-mile) Sydney to Wollongong solo swim, won an incredible total of 51 international
marathon swimming races, including nine overall (men and women) victories. She crossed the English
Channel in 1990, was on a triple-crossing English Channel relay in 1997, was the nine-time Australian
Women's National Open Water Swimming Champion and the five-time overall winner of the Manhattan
Island Marathon Swim.
She wrote an autobiography Dangerous When Wet and has helped standardize and professionalize the
staging of marathon swims around the world through her position as the Honorary Secretary of the FINA
Technical Open Water Swimming Committee. She has oversight of the FINA 10K Marathon Swimming
World Cup circuit, the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series, the FINA World Open Water
Swimming Championships, the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Olympic and
the 2012 London Olympics.
He has written about open water swimming for various newspapers for 58 years and is the author of Stari
Grad – European Centre of Long Distance Swimming.
He was the flag bearer for the Bulgarian Olympic Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he swam the
1500 freestyle and got sixth in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim.
She has swum the English Channel seven times in one year and is the fastest woman from France to
England, the first woman to swim across the Irish Sea (North Channel) and completed three channel
swims in five weeks linking Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales and France.
He successfully pioneered new starting places for English Channel swims that are now used consistently
by other pilots, helping swimmers to achieve faster times. He piloted 64 swims including the crossing of
Joe Smith, the second oldest person, and Michael Read‟s 33rd crossing.
In 1969, she swam from Minorca to Majorca in Spain in 21 hours and 10 minutes. In 1969, she swam
across Lough Neagh in 16 hours and 13 minutes. She serves on the Board of the Channel Swimming
Association and acts as an official observer on many of the attempts to swim the English Channel and the
Strait of Gibraltar. She serves as the Vice President of the Channel Swimming Association.
He is a long-time Channel Swimming Association committee member and Vice-Chairman and received
the Observer of the Year award in 1991. He has observed at least 50 solo swims, 13 relay swims, two
double-crossings and four double-crossing relay swims. He received the Channel Swimming
Association's Audrey Scott Memorial Trophy in 1998 for the greatest contribution to English Channel
swimming.
Captain Webb wrote a book, The Art of Swimming, and easily won the 1879 Trials of Endurance when he
swam 119K (74 miles) in a 6-day endurance race. He also swam 16K (10 miles) from Sandy Hook Point
to Manhattan Beach, USA in 8 hours in 1879. In 1880, he easily won a 5-mile swim in Nantasket Beach,
Boston, USA. But, he drowned while trying to complete a dangerous swim through the Whirlpool Rapids
in the Niagara Falls in 1883.
freestyle between 1921 and 1929 with his longest swim being the 3.2K (2 miles) Chicago River Race. In
1970, Johnny accepted an assignment as the International Commissioner of Marathon Swimming and
represented the sport of marathon swimming and the World Professional Marathon Swimming
Federation.
He amassed the largest file on marathon swimming in existence and shared the information with the
World Professional Swimming Federation and the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He was
influential in creating the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Herman is credited with changing the image of marathon swimming when he won the Canadian National
Exhibition Swim in 1962. He was one of the first to use a scientific approach to a swim. For example, he
studied the water conditions including temperature, to develop a race strategy. Teamed with Rejean
Lacoursiere, he also won the initial La Tuque 24-hour team race in Canada in both 1965 and 1966.
Jaberz was one of the first coaches to channel swimmers. His successes included the best women of his
era, including Hilda Sharp in 1928, Margaret Duncan in 1930 and Sunny Lowry in 1933. He also wrote a
number of books on swimming.
Jaberz was the holder for ten long-distance records including 38K (24-mile) Brighton to Worthing double-
crossing, 54K (34-mile) Margate to Herne Bay double-crossing in 9 hours 39 minutes, Southsea to Ryde
double-crossing, Eddystone Lighthouse to Plymouth Pier and Dover to Ramsgate.
of Gibraltar from Morocco to Spain in 9 hours and 27 minutes, the English Channel in 13 hours and 37
minutes in 1986, the Santa Barbara Channel between Anacapa Island and the California mainland in 8
hours and 27 minutes in 8 hours and 27 minutes in 1982, 16K (10 miles) from Lanai Island to Maui in
Hawaii, USA in 4 hours and 47 minutes in 2002, from Molokini Island to Maui, Hawaii, USA in 2 hours and
6 minutes in 2002 (and again in 2003 in 2 hours and 16 minutes), from Maui to Molokai in Hawaii, USA in
4 hours and 41 minutes, 8 miles from Maui to Kahoolawe Island in Hawaii, USA in 4 hours and 18
minutes, 16K (10 miles) from Molokai to Lanai in Hawaii, USA in 5 hours and 11 minutes in 2003, and
across the 25K (16-mile) Cook Strait from North Island to South Island in New Zealand in 9 hours and 38
minutes in 2004.
David was the first swimmer to swim 30K from Santa Cruz Island to the California coast in 15 hours and
15 minutes in 1983, 30K across the Tsugaru Channel in 11 hours and 54 minutes in 1990, from Bali to
Java in Indonesia in 1 hour and 36 minutes in 1996, from Nusa Penida to Bali in Indonesia in 2 hours and
48 minutes in 1997, across the Sunda Strait from Java to Sumatra, Indonesia in 10 hours and 34 minutes
in 2000, and from Cape Wiwiki to Cape Brett in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 5 hours and 23
minutes in 2004.