The ‘Firsts’ of English Channel Crossings Can Never Be Taken Away (Check Out Some Legendary Efforts)

The ‘Firsts’ of English Channel Crossings Can Never Be Taken Away (Check Out Some Legendary Efforts)

For more than 50 years reporters and historians have likened a 33-kilometer English Channel marathon swim to climbing Mt. Everest. There are a few dramatic differences:

About three times as many climbers have summitted the mountain compared to swimmers crossing the Channel.
About 30 times more deaths on Everest.
Average time on Everest to summit and return is measured in days, while an average Channel crossing is about 13 hours (fastest 6:55 and slowest 28:44).
Almost all climbers are happy with just one summit (some Sherpas and a handful of climbers have summitted more than once in a season).

Swimmers have been pushing beyond “just” an English Channel swim for more than 60 years. Glory can be found in every marathon swim: Speed records are almost always broken, but a first-ever swim record is forever. A recap of the history:

In 1875, Captain Matthew Webb from Great Britain (an Honoree of both the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame) was the first to swim the Channel, going from England to France in 21 hours and 45 minutes. The next success was 36 years later, after more than 85 known unsuccessful attempts.

In 1923, IMSHOF Honoree Enrico Tiraboschi from Italy, but living in Argentina, was the first to swim from France to England in 16 hours and 33 minutes. Many decades later, the sport figured out that this was an easier direction due to the more uniform shape of the English coastline which results in a less-powerful crosswise current.

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In 1961, IMSHOF Honoree Antonio Abertondo from Argentina was the first to complete a two-way crossing in 43 hours and 10 minutes. The swimmer is allowed only a few minutes at the turn to have more grease applied to minimize skin chaffing, more easily feed and stand (or sit or lay down!). Antonio’s swim path is not available, so shown is the 35-hour swim path of Lisa Cummings from Ireland (ignore the short straight red line near France going from lower right to upper left). One can see the power of the tide running generally perpendicular to the desired direction of the swimmer.

In 1981, dual ISHOF and IMSHOF Honoree Jon Erikson from the United States was the first to complete a three-way crossing in 38 hours and 27 minutes.

In 2016, IMSHOF Honoree Marc Newman from Great Britain was the first cross the Channel by starting at Dungeness, England (where Lisa completed her swim) – a straight-line distance of 41.8 km.

In 2018, ISHOF Honoree Lewis Pugh, OIG from Great Britain, but living in South Africa, was the first to swim the 560 km length of the English Channel in 50 days. This was a stage swim, so Lewis could sleep at night and return to the previous day’s end spot to resume.

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In 2019, ISHOF Honoree Sarah Thomas from the USA was the first to complete a four-way crossing in 54 hours and 10 minutes. She is credited with the shortest possible straight-line distances (33 km x 4 = 132 km), but the tides/currents show an actual path considerably longer. In Sarah’s swim, she didn’t get all those restful minutes on a beach between legs. She touched a solid wall/cliff and “suffered through” the allowed minutes treading water! Her swim path is illustrated.

In 2022, dual ISHOF and IMSHOF Honoree Dr. Marcy MacDonald, DPM from the USA was the first to start in England and declare a finish location in Belgium, a straight-line distance of 82.6 km. She completed the swim in 38 hours and 20 minutes. After 26 hours, the tide turned (in the dark) and she advanced about 25 meters in the next four hours, before completing the crossing eight hours later. For most, this delay would have been a soul-destroying experience.

For completeness, it is worth noting a new challenge known as Arch 2 Arc: Run from London to Dover, swim across the Channel and then cycle to Paris. And of course, some now go farther!

Finally, the chase for English Channel speed records has been ongoing for more than a century. One swimmer set unique records in such a pursuit. IMSHOF Honoree Philip Rush from New Zealand set four overall speed records (three still held as of the end of 2022) in the English Channel, which he crossed 10 times. In 1985, he swam a two-way route in 17 hours and 56 minutes and in 1987, he swam a 3-way crossing in 28 hours and 21 minutes (beating the previous record by 10+ hours. On his three-way, his second leg, from France to England, was covered in 8 hours and 15 minutes, a speed record which endured until 1988. His two-way, England to France to England was 16 hours and 10 minutes.

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Mandy Blizard

8 months ago

Plus all the relays – the big ricks lads were the first British four way team 🙂

Chuck Kroll

8 months ago

Gertrude Ederle 1st woman to cross in 1926 beating the existing records of all 5 of the men who previously made successful crossings.