English Channel Awards and Heroes

The English Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation held its annual awards dinner this week to honor the following individuals:

The Eurotunnel Award for the fastest CS&PF English Channel Swim of 2008: Doreen Miller (USA) from her England-to-France 10 hour 17 minute crossing.

The Gertrude Ederle Award for the most meritorious CS&PF English Channel swim by a woman in 2008: Elizabeth Fry (USA) for her England-to-France 12 hours 1 minute crossing and her attempted second leg from France-to-England in 11 hour 44 minutes.

The Des Renford Award for the most meritorious CS&PF English Channel swim by a man in 2008: Marcel Degreef (Netherlands) for his England-to-France 19 hour 50 minute crossing.

The Frank Richards Endurance Award for the unsuccessful CS&PF endurance English Channel swim of 2008: Rosalinda Hardiman (UK) for her England-to-France in 25 hour 14 minute swim where she was taken from the water exhausted 700 meters from France (see photo on left with Frank Richards).

The Audrey Scott Award for the youngest successful CS&PF English Channel Swimmer of 2008: 23-year-old Rajesh Shinde (India) for his England-to-France 14 hour 46 minute crossing.

The Ray Scott Award for the oldest successful CS&PF English Channel Swimmer of 2008: 54-year-old George Hunihan (USA) for his England-to-France 16 hour 30 minute crossing.

The Alison Streeter Award for the fastest successful 2-way CS&PF English Channel Swim of 2008: Doublin Fire Brigade (Ireland) for their England-to-France 9 hour 55 minute first leg and their France-to-England 11 hour 17 minute second leg: Brian McLoughlin, Tony Cruise, Rachael Lee, Tom Healy, Brenden McGratten and Greg O’Dwyer.

The Barrie Darling Award for the CS&PF Pilot crew member of 2008: Paul Foreman, skipper and pilot of Pace Arrow (shown to left with Alison Streeter).

The Dover Straits Award for the Fastest CS&PF Standard Relay English Channel Crossing of 2008: Dover Lifeguards Club 2008 (UK and Slovakia) for their England-to-France 10 hour 2 minute crossing with Dan Seagrove-Castle, Dominika Szucsova, Sophie Tills, Tessa Dunford, Danielle Pryor and Katie Brown.

The longest CS&PF Standard Relay English Channel Crossing of 2008: Serpentine Afghan Appeal (International) for their England-to-France 23 hour 16 minute crossing with Sophie Rutenbar, Maree Mitchell, Clare Doyle, Anne McAlpone-Leny, Lorraine Jones and Martha Fray.

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

The CS&PF Observer of the Year Award: Jennie Hanson (shown to left with renowned Kevin Murphy, the retiring CS&PF president).

The CS&PF Sunny Lowry Special Thanks Award of 2008: Irene Wakeham.

The Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club Award for the successful CS&PF English Channel Swim "Against all Odds" of 2008: Benjamin Greensmith (UK) for his England-to-France 15 hour 25 minute crossing.

The most meritorious Special Category CS&PF Relay English Channel Crossing of 2008: Three Birds & a Boat for their England-to-France 11 hour 30 minute 50 second crossing with James (Jemima) Boucher, Emma France and Samantha Jones (shown on left between Alison Street, the new CS&PF President, and Kevin Murphy).

The Seafarer Award for the fastest solo CS&PF English Channel Swim by a British Person in 2008: Katie Goodall for her England-to-France 10 hour 23 minutes 34 second crossing (shown to left with Alison Streeter).

The Leo Cox Award for the Fastest CS&PF Junior Relay Team English Channel Crossing of 2008: Clissold Swimming Club - Team 2 for their England-to-France crossing with Daniel Morgan Melville, Ella ORegan, Tao Geohegan Hart, Matlida Cornwell Jones, Devon Vitalis and Thomas Grylls.

Retirement presentations were awarded to Frank Richards who retired from observing after 37 years of selfless efforts and over 400 crossings. Dave Whyte, pilot, and Joan Beach, first officer who both retired from piloting after 22 years.



The Peter Adams Award for the successful CS&PF endurance English Channel swim of 2008: Denise Richards (UK) for her England-to-France 22 hour 6 minute crossing.

Congratulations to all who succeeded, attempted, piloted and helped administer the English Channel swims of 2008.

Photos courtesy of Michael Oram.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association