Like Mount Everest among mountaineers, Tour de France among cyclists and the Olympics among runners, the shadow of the English Channel stretches far and wide over the elite echelons of the marathon swimming world.
Of the 226 inductees in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, over 45% have swum the English Channel.
These Channel swimmers include the following:
*Alison Streeter (GBR)
*Annemie Landmeters (BEL)
*Christof Wandratsch (GER)
*Kevin Murphy (GBR)
*Nora Toledano Cadena (MEX)
*Peter Jurzynski (USA)
*Sally Anne Minty-Gravett (GBR)
*Alawi Makki (UAE)
*Alfredo Camarero (ARG)
*Alibilo Couto (BRA)
*Antonio Abertondo (ARG)
*Ashby “Bud” Harper (USA)
*Barry Watson (GBR)
*Bert Thomas (USA)
*Bridget Young (GBR)
*Brojen Das (PAK)
*Carol Sing (USA)
*Carole Hunt (GBR)
*Chad Hundeby (USA)
*Christopher Green (GBR)
*Claudio Plit (ARG)
*Cynthia Nicholas (CAN)
*David Meca Medina (ESP)
*David Morgan (GBR)
*David Parcells (USA)
*David Stevens Clark (USA)
*David Yudovin (USA)
*Des Renford (AUS)
*Dr. Chris Stockdale (GBR)
*Elaine Gray (GBR)
*Enrico Tiraboschi (ITA)
*Ernest Vierkoetter (GER)
*Ersin Aydin (TUR)
*Florence Chadwick (USA)
*Gerald Forsberg (GBR)
*Gertrude Ederle (USA)
*Greta Andersen (DEN)
*Gustavo Oriozbala (ARG)
*Hassan Abdel Rheim (EGY)
*Helge Jensen (DEN)
*Henry Sullivan (USA)
*Herman Willemse (NED)
*Igor de Souza (BRA)
*Irene Van Der Laan (NED)
*Ishak Helmy (EGY)
*Jacques Amyot (CAN)
*James “Doc” Counsilman (USA)
*James Pittar (AUS)
*Jan Van Scheyndal (NED)
*Joe Smith (GBR)
*John Kinsella (USA)
*John York (USA)
*Jon Erikson (USA)
*Julie Bradshaw MBE (GBR
*Julie Ridge (USA)
*Karen Burton Reeder (USA)
*Linda McGill (AUS)
*Lyndon Dunsbee (GBR)
*Lynne Cox (USA)
*Marc Newman (GBR)
*Dr. Marcella MacDonald (USA)
*Mercedes Gleitze (GBR)
*Mervyn Sharp (GBR)
*Michael Read MBE (GBR)
*Mihir Sen (IND)
*Monique Wildschut (NED)
*Montserrat Tresserras Dou (ESP)
*Nasser El Shazly (UAE)
*Norman Trusty (GBR)
*Osama Ahmed Montaz (EGY)
*Paul Asmuth (USA)
*Penny Lee Dean (USA)
*Penny Palfrey (AUS)
*Philip Rush (NZL)
*Robert Cossette (CAN)
*Rosemary George (GBR)
*Sarah Hunt (GBR)
*Shelley Taylor-Smith (AUS)
*Stella Taylor (USA)
*Stéphane Lecat (FRA)
*Susie Maroney (AUS)
*Tanarath Shenoy (IND)
*Ted Erikson (USA)
*Ted Keenan (IRE)
*Tina Bischoff (USA)
*Tom Blower (GBR)
*Tom Burgess (GBR)
*Tom Hetzel PhD (USA)
*Vicki Keith (CAN)
*Anne Cleveland (USA)
*Ned Denison (IRL)
*Petar Stoychev (BUL)
*Veljko Rogosic (YUG)
*Yuri Kudinov (RUS)
*Abdul Latif Abou Heif (EGY)
*Baptista Pereira (POR)
*Captain Mathew Webb (GBR)
*Daniel Eulogio Carpio Massioti “Carpayo” (PER)
*Jason Zirganos (GRE)
*Tom Park (USA)
*Sunny Lowry (shown above, GBR)
In addition, Audrey Scott and Ray Scott (GBR/ESP), Duncan Taylor (GBR), Francis (Frank) Richards (GBR), Freda Streeter (GBR), Maurice Ferguson (GBR), Michael Oram (GBR) crossed as observers or pilots on solo and relay swims.
Copyright © 2011 by World Open Water Swimming Association