Over the course of history since 1872, several thousands of solo attempts have been made to swim across the 33.5 km English Channel between England and France.

Of those thousands of soloists, 68 different swimmers from 17 countries (Great Britain, Italy, USA, Germany, France, Egypt, Denmark, Canada, Bulgaria, Australia, Syria, Turkey, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Brazil, and Argentina) set or broke a speed record swimming across the English Channel over the last 148 years.

Each swim and each individual – successful or not – has an interesting backstory of persistence, courage, and tenacity (e.g., see Erdal Acet of Turkey swimming and later standing on the street named after him above. Listen to his most recent interview below.

https://youtu.be/mKvQ04z0dXk

The records include solo crossings

• from England to France
• from France to England
• for overall, males, and females
• for one-way crossings
• for two-way (double) crossings
• for three-way (triple) crossings
• for four-way (quadruple) crossings

This historical information was compiled by Ned Denison, chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (shown on left below), based on the comprehensive English Channel solo swims list created by IMSHOF Honor Administrator Julian Critchlow (shown on right below).

Interesting facts include:

• when swimmers coached swimmers to break their own record (i.e., when Penny Dean coached Chad Hundeby to break her record)
• when professional marathon swimming rivals broke each other’s records (i.e., when Germany’s Andreas Waschburger broke Australia’s Trent Grimsey’s record who broke Bulgaria’s Petar Stoychev’s records or when New Zealand’s Philip Rush beat USA’s Paul Asmuth’s record)
• when record holders enjoyed their records only for days at a time (Gertrude Ederle for 24 days in 1926; Tina Bischoff for 26 days in 1976; Ernest Vierkoetter for 11 days in 1926; Marwan Saleh for 13 days in 1976; Ton Brouwer for 15 days in 1979; Eric Johnson for 13 days in 1985; Jon Erikson for 10 days in 1979)
• when a swimmer had their record broken, only to regain it again a year later (Lynne Cox in 1973)
• when swimmers broke their own records more than once (Florence Chadwick in 1951 – 1955 and Cynthia Nicholas in 1977 – 1982)
• when a son beat his own father’s record (Jon Erikson besting his father Ted in 1975)
• when perspectives were adjusted due to multiple crossings being achieved (Antonio Abertondo in 1961, Jon Erikson in 1981; Sarah Thomas in 2019)
• when 2 records were broken on the same day only 6 minutes apart (Wendy Brook and Erdal Acet on August 31st 1976)

Overall (men + women, England-to-France or France-to-England) Speed Record Progression:

• 1875: Captain Matthew Webb – 21 hours 45 minutes
• 1923: Enrico Tiraboschi – 16 hours 33 minutes
• 1926 (August 6th): Gertrude Ederle – 14 hours 39 minutes
• 1926 (August 30th): Ernest Vierkoetter – 12 hours 38 minutes
• 1926 (September 10th): Georges Michel – 11 hours 5 minutes
• 1950: Hassan Abdel Rehim – 10 hours 50 minutes
• 1960: Helge Jensen – 10 hours 23 minutes
• 1964: Barry Watson – 9 hours 35 minutes
• 1976 (August 5th): Tina Bischoff – 9 hours 3 minutes
• 1976 (August 31st): Wendy Brook – 8 hours 56 minutes
• 1977: Nasser Elshazly – 8 hours 45 minutes
• 1978: Penny Lee Dean – 7 hours 40 minutes
• 1994: Chad Hundeby – 7 hours 17 minutes
• 2005: Christof Wandratsch – 7 hours 3 minutes 52 seconds
• 2007: Petar Stoychev – 6 hours 57 minutes 50 seconds
• 2012: Trent Grimsey – 6 hours 55 minutes
• 2023: Andreas Waschburger – 6 hours 45 minutes 25 seconds

Men’s Overall (England-to-France or France-to-England) Speed Record Progression:

• 1875: Captain Matthew Webb – 21 hours 45 minutes
• 1923: Enrico Tiraboschi – 16 hours 33 minutes
• 1926 (August 30th): Ernest Vierkoetter – 12 hours 38 minutes
• 1926 (September 10th): Georges Michel – 11 hours 5 minutes
• 1950: Hassan Abdel Rehim – 10 hours 50 minutes
• 1960: Helge Jensen – 10 hours 23 minutes
• 1964: Barry Watson – 9 hours 35 minutes
• 1976 (August 18th): Marwan Saleh – 9 hours 27 minutes
• 1976 (August 31st): Erdal Acet – 9 hours 2 minutes
• 1977: Nasser Elshazly – 8 hours 45 minutes
• 1979 (August 4th): Ton Brouwer – 8 hours 44 minutes
• 1979 (August 19th): Jon Erikson – 8 hours 38 minutes
• 1984: Lyndon Dunsbee – 8 hours 34 minutes
• 1985 (August 13th): Eric Johnson – 8 hours 20 minutes
• 1985 (August 29th): Paul Asmuth – 8 hours 12 minutes
• 1987: Philip Rush – 7 hours 55 minutes
• 1994: Chad Hundeby – 7 hours 17 minutes
• 2005: Christof Wandratsch – 7 hours 3 minutes 52 seconds
• 2007: Petar Stoychev – 6 hours 57 minutes 50 seconds
• 2012: Trent Grimsey – 6 hours 55 minutes
• 2023: Andreas Waschburger – 6 hours 45 minutes 25 seconds

Women’s Overall (England-to-France or France-to-England) Speed Record Progression:

• 1926 (August 6th): Gertrude Ederle – 14 hours 39 minutes
• 1938: Femley Wheatcroft – 13 hours 35 minutes
• 1950: Florence Chadwick – 13 hours 23 minutes
• 1951: Brenda Fisher – 12 hours 42 minutes
• 1958: Greta Andersen – 11 hours 1 minute
• 1967 (July 17th): Elaine Gray – 10 hours 24 minutes
• 1967 (September 29th): Linda McGill, MBE – 9 hours 59 minutes
• 1972: Lynne Cox – 9 hours 57 minutes
• 1973: Lynne Cox – 9 hours 36 minutes
• 1976 (August 5th): Tina Bischoff – 9 hours 3 minutes
• 1976 (August 31st): Wendy Brook – 8 hours 56 minutes
• 1977: Nasser Elshazly – 8 hours 45 minutes
• 1978: Penny Lee Dean – 7 hours 40 minutes
• 2006: Yvetta Hlaváčová – 7 hours 25 minutes 15 seconds

Overall (men + women) England-to-France Speed Record Progression:

• 1875: Captain Matthew Webb – 21 hours 45 minutes
• 1934: Edward Temme – 15 hours 34 minutes
• 1948: Tom Blower – 15 hours 31 minutes
• 1953: Abdellatief Abou Heif – 13 hours 45 minutes
• 1957: Commander Gerald Forsberg, OBE – 13 hours 33 minutes
• 1959: Baron Abilio Couto – 12 hours 49 minutes
• 1960: Helge Jensen – 10 hours 23 minutes
• 1972 (July 20th): Lynne Cox – 9 hours 57 minutes
• 1972 (August 20th): Richard Davis Hart – 9 hours 44 minutes
• 1973: Lynne Cox – 9 hours 36 minutes
• 1976 (August 5th): Tina Bischoff – 9 hours 3 minutes
• 1976 (August 31st): Wendy Brook – 8 hours 56 minutes
• 1977: Nasser Elshazly – 8 hours 45 minutes
• 1978: Penny Lee Dean – 7 hours 40 minutes
• 1994: Chad Hundeby – 7 hours 17 minutes
• 2005: Christof Wandratsch – 7 hours 3 minutes 52 seconds
• 2007: Petar Stoychev – 6 hours 57 minutes 50 seconds
• 2012: Trent Grimsey – 6 hours 55 minutes
• 2023: Andreas Waschburger – 6 hours 45 minutes 25 seconds

Men’s England-to-France Speed Record Progression:

• 1875: Captain Matthew Webb – 21 hours 45 minutes
• 1934: Edward Temme – 15 hours 34 minutes
• 1948: Tom Blower – 15 hours 31 minutes
• 1953: Abdellatief Abou Heif – 13 hours 45 minutes
• 1957: Commander Gerald Forsberg, OBE – 13 hours 33 minutes
• 1959: Baron Abilio Couto – 12 hours 49 minutes
• 1960: Helge Jensen – 10 hours 23 minutes
• 1972: Richard Davis Hart – 9 hours 44 minutes
• 1975: Monir Amin Gad – 9 hours 40 minutes
• 1976 (August 18th): Marwan Saleh – 9 hours 27 minutes
• 1976 (August 31st): Erdal Acet – 9 hours 2 minutes
• 1977: Nasser Elshazly – 8 hours 45 minutes
• 1979 (August 4th): Ton Brouwer – 8 hours 44 minutes
• 1979 (August 19th): Jon Erikson – 8 hours 38 minutes
• 1979 (August 29th): Paul Asmuth – 8 hours 12 minutes
• 1987: Philip Rush – 7 hours 55 minutes
• 1994: Chad Hundeby – 7 hours 17 minutes
• 2005: Christof Wandratsch – 7 hours 3 minutes 52 seconds
• 2007: Petar Stoychev – 6 hours 57 minutes 50 seconds
• 2012: Trent Grimsey – 6 hours 55 minutes
• 2023: Andreas Waschburger – 6 hours 45 minutes 25 seconds

Women’s England-to-France Speed Record Progression:

• 1951: Florence Chadwick – 16 hours 19 minutes
• 1953: Florence Chadwick – 14 hours 42 minutes
• 1955: Florence Chadwick – 13 hours 55 minutes
• 1964: Greta Andersen – 13 hours 40 minutes
• 1971: Corrie Dixon (née Ebbelaar) – 10 hours 43 minutes
• 1972: Lynne Cox – 9 hours 57 minutes
• 1973: Lynne Cox – 9 hours 36 minutes
• 1976 (August 5th): Tina Bischoff – 9 hours 3 minutes
• 1976 (August 31st): Wendy Brook – 8 hours 56 minutes
• 1978: Penny Lee Dean – 7 hours 40 minutes
• 2006: Yvetta Hlaváčová – 7 hours 25 minutes 15 seconds

Overall (men + women) Two-way Speed Record Progression:

• 1961: Antonio Abertondo – 43 hours 10 minutes
• 1965: Ted Erikson – 30 hours 3 minutes
• 1975: Jon Erikson – 29 hours 50 minutes
• 1977: Cynthia Nicholas, CM – 19 hours 56 minutes
• 1979: Cynthia Nicholas, CM – 19 hours 12 minutes
• 1982: Cynthia Nicholas, CM – 18 hours 55 minutes
• 1983: Irene van der Laan – 18 hours 15 minutes
• 1985: Philip Rush – 17 hours 56 minutes
• 1987: Philip Rush – 16 hours 10 minutes

Men’s Two-way Speed Record Progression:

• 1961: Antonio Abertondo – 43 hours 10 minutes
• 1965: Ted Erikson – 30 hours 3 minutes
• 1975: Jon Erikson – 29 hours 50 minutes
• 1979: Jon Erikson – 22 hours 16 minutes
• 1984: Dr. Osama Ahmed Momtaz – 21 hours 37 minutes
• 1985: Philip Rush – 17 hours 56 minutes
• 1987: Philip Rush – 16 hours 10 minutes

Women’s Two-way Speed Record Progression:

• 1977: Cynthia Nicholas, CM – 19 hours 56 minutes
• 1979: Cynthia Nicholas, CM – 19 hours 12 minutes
• 1982: Cynthia Nicholas, CM – 18 hours 55 minutes
• 1983: Irene van der Laan – 18 hours 15 minutes
• 1991: Susie Maroney, OAM – 17 hours 14 minutes

Overall (men + women) Three-way Speed Record Progression:

• 1981: Jon Erikson – 38 hours 27 minutes
• 1987: Philip Rush – 28 hours 21 minutes

Men’s Three-way Speed Record Progression:

• 1981: Jon Erikson – 38 hours 27 minutes
• 1987: Philip Rush – 28 hours 21 minutes

Women’s Three-way Speed Record Progression:

• 1990: Alison Streeter, MBE – 34 hours 40 minutes

Overall (men + women) Four-way Speed Record Progression:

• 2019: Sarah Thomas – 54 hours 10 minutes

Women’s Four-way Speed Record Progression:

• 2019: Sarah Thomas – 54 hours 10 minutes

https://youtu.be/ncSAjP0kRVw

© 2023 by Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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