Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) announced its 2016 inductees. Among the 17 luminaries in the aquatics world, Desmond Robert Renford, M.B.E. of Australia was deservedly selected for his marathon swimming exploits and will be enshrined posthumously.
He was perfect – going 19 for 19 in his English Channel attempts.
The ISHOF wrote, “Des Renford was born in Australia on the 52nd anniversary of the very first Channel swim, achieved in 1875 by Matthew Webb. He took up marathon swimming at the age of 39 and from 1975 to part of 1980, he crossed the English Channel 19 times in 19 attempts and wore the title King of the Channel®, which is accorded the swimmer with the most crossings.
For his exploits in the Channel, he was awarded the M.B.E., Order of the British Empire. Australians remember their Channel swimming sporting legend, who died in 1999, through the Des Renford Aquatic and Leisure Center in Marouba, a suburb of Sydney.”
His English Channel crossings included three in 10 days in 1980.
English Channel Crossing Career:
1. August 9th 1970: E/F in 13 hours 9 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer F. Gill
2. 27 August 27th 1970: E/F in 12 hours 55 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer F. Gill
3. July 22nd 1972: F/E in 13 hours 30 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer M. Morford
4. August 19th 1972: E/F in 12 hours 59 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer P. Frayne
5. August 13th 1974: E/F in 12 hours 41 minutes with pilot V. Noakes, observer R. Scott
6. September 11th 1974: E/F in 14 hours 2 minutes with pilot V. Noakes, observer C. Dewberry
7. July 29th 1975: F/E in 14 hours 22 minutes with pilot B. Reed, observer M. Morford
8. August 3rd 1975 E/F in 13 hours 8 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer R.W. Brickell
9. September 1st 1975: E/F in 13 hours 12 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer R.W. Brickell
10. August 4th 1976: E/F in 12 hours 2 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer P. Cox
11. July 21st 1977: E/F in 13 hours 35 minutes with with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer R.W. Brickell
12. August 12th 1978: E/F in 12 hours 33 minutes with pilot V. Noakes, observer R. Scott
13. August 22nd 1978: E/F in 14 hours 1 minute with pilot B. Wellard on the New Venture
14. August 4th 1979: E/F in 11 hours 42 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer A. Floyd
15. August 28th 1979: E/F in 14 hours 9 minutes with pilot C. Cook on the Telstar
16. September 4th 1979: E/F in 12 hours 43 minutes with pilot V. Noakes, observer F. Richards
17. August 8th 1980: E/F in 14 hours 54 minutes with pilot V. Noakes, observer J. Nicholas
18. August 18 1980: E/F in 15 hours 10 minutes with pilot R. T. Brickell, observer R. Brickell
19. August 23rd 1980: E/F in 13 hours 48 minutes with pilot P. Reed, observer M. Palmer
The 2016 induction ceremony will be held the weekend of June 3rd – 6th in Santa Clara, California. Further information on the inductees is here.
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