With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games marathon swim coming up this July, it was memorable to learn of important professional races that have been held in the Seine over the generations.

Le Marathon Nautique de Paris (La Traversée de Paris) was a 28 km professional marathon swimming race held in June 1953 from d’Alfortbille to the bains de Suresne along the Seine. An amateur race was concurrently held.

The race down the Seine was organized by the Groupement des Nageurs de Longue Distance and ended in a tie as two Egyptian International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductees dominated the competition.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer Jacques Tuset researched the competitions in the Seine over the generations. He reports, “River swims in France were a big deal before 1910….and steadily lost popularity in the 1930’s. Immediately after World War II, the sport held many 2 – 8 km races. Then in 1953, there was an attempt to get both amateur and professional races over 10 km back to previous popularity levels.”

Professional Results

1. Abdellatief Abou Heif (Egypt) 5 hours 56.40 minutes [shown above]
2. Hassan Hamad (Egypt) 5 hours 56.40 minutes [shown above]
3. Hassan Abdel Rehim (Egypt) 6 hours 18.43 minutes
4. Hassan Abou Bakr (Egypt) 6 hours 20.42 minutes
5. Roger Le Morvan (France) 6 hours 23.0 minutes
6. Raphael Morand (France) 6 hours 29.27 minutes
7. Godfrey Chapman  (Great Britain) 6 hours 32.4 minutes
8. Warle Lars (Sweden) 6 hours 34.20 minutes
9. El Arby (Egypt) 6 hours 39.15 minutes
10. Rebeyrol (France) 6 hours 45.10 minutes
11. R. Denis (France) 6 hours 54.30 minutes
12. J. Ensbergen (Netherlands) 7 hours 51.35 minutes
13. G Blomme (Belgium) 7 hours 56.10 minutes
14. L. Borg (Sweden) 8 hours 15.01 minutes

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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