Open Water Swimming Heroes from Argentina

The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame was established as an affiliated organization to the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1963 to honor athletes, coaches, pilots and administrators in the global marathon swimming community.

The initial selection committee decided that a marathons swim must be at least 16K (10 miles) long. Later committees extended the minimum distance to 25K (15.5 miles).


Of all the countries in the world, few countries rival the proud open water swimming history of Argentina. There are 10 swimmers from Argentina who are among this elite group including:

1. Alfredo Camarero, Argentina
2. Diego Degano, Argentina
3. Silvia Beatríz Dalotto, Argentina
4. Pedro A Candiotti, Argentina
5. Antonio Abertondo, Argentina
6. Lilian Harrison, Argentina
7. Horacio Iglesias, Argentina
8. Carlos Larriera, Argentina
9. Gustavo Oriozabala, Argentina
10. Claudio Plit, Argentina

Alfredo Camarero, Argentina (1978)
Alfredo twice swam the English Channel. He won the Billy Butlin International Channel race from France to England in 11 hours and 43 minutes in 1959 and the 1960 race from France to England in 12 hours and 23 minutes. He also won the 36K (22.5-mile) Around the Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA in 12 hours and 17 minutes in 1957.

Alfredo is shown above after winning the 1959 English Channel race.

Diego Degano, Argentina (1995)
Diego was a professional marathon swimmer in the 1990’s. He won the 40K (25-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean race in 1991, was 2nd in the 1992 race in 9 hours and 47 minutes and was 5th in the 1993 race in 9 hours and 33 minutes.

Diego won the prestigious Olimpia de Oro (Golden Olimpia) in 1992 that is annually awarded to the most important sportsperson of the year in Argentina.


Silvia Beatríz Dalotto, Argentina (2005)
Silvia was the International Marathon Swimming Association world champion in 1990 after winning the Santa Fé- Coronda Marathon in Argentina, getting third in the Travesía Bahía de Todos los Santos in Brazil, the 32K (20-mile) Maratona del Golfo - Capri Napoli in Italy, the Lago Trasimeno Marathon in Italy and the Around the Island Marathon in Atlantic City, USA, and fifth in the 42K (26-mile) Traversée Internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada. She was the third overall in the 1991 International Marathon Swimming Association, sixth in 1992, fifth in 1993, third in 1994, third in 1995 and second in 1996.

Upon completion of her marathon swimming career, Silvia received many awards and honors from the Argentine Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee and became a FINA Open Water Official, judging at the FINA Open Water World Championships in Barcelona and other FINA World Cup races.

Silvia is shown receiving her International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame honor with Kieren Perkins and Tom Dolan at the Hall of Fame ceremonies.

Pedro A Candiotti, Argentina (1965)
Pedro, known as the “Shark of Quilla Creek”, swam from 1922 to1946, primarily in Argentina rivers including a 390K (242-mile) swim between March 14 and 17, 1930 from Goya to Santa Fe in a total time of 66 hours and 15 minutes down the River Plate. He tried 17 times to swim 328K (204 miles) from Rosario to Buenos Aires in Argentina, but failed with his last attempt of 74 hours and 30 minutes. His longest swim was 84 hours in length when he swam 452K (281 miles) down the Parana River from Santa Fe to Zarate in Argentina.


Antonio Abertondo, Argentina (1964)
From 1942 to 1961, Antonio swam many marathon swims in Argentina. In 1946, he successfully crossed Rio de la Plata in 29+ hours. His five English Channel crossings were in the 1950 and 1951 Daily Mail races, the 1954 Butlin race and in 1961 when he became the first person to do a double-crossing of the English Channel in 43 hours and 10 minutes (with a four-minute onshore rest).


Lilian Harrison, Argentina (1973)
Lilian was the first person to swim 42K (26 miles) across the River Plate from Uruguay to Argentina in 1923 at the age of 20. In 1925, she won the 42K (26-mile) Seine River race that ended in Paris and attempted a valiant swim in the English Channel.






Horacio Bernardo Guillermo Iglesias, Argentina (1968)
Horacio, known as Dorado (for a great South American game fish), was the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation world champion in 1967, 1969, 1971 and 1972. He was runner-up in 1968 and 1970. He won the 24-hour La Tuque relay swim six times with three different partners, including Egypt’s Abou Heif and Holland’s Judith DeNys. He also won the 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean professional race in Canada in 8 hours and 55 minutes in 1967, in 9 hours and 31 minutes in 1968, in 9 hours and 32 minutes in 1969, in 8 hours and 39 minutes in 1971 with a second in 1970, and excelled in the warm-water professional swims in South America. He won 37K (23-mile) Descente ou remontée du Saguenay in 6 hours and 3 minutes in 1967 and was fifth in 9 hours and 22 minutes in 1968.

He was also honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Open Water Swimmer and won the prestigious Olimpia de Oro (Golden Olimpia) in 1973 that is annually awarded to the most important sportsperson of the year in Argentina.

Horatio once famously told American sports magazine Sports Illustrated, "It is like a kind of drug, this swimming. It hurts, but you don't want to stop. Maybe it is pride. If the others stay, you stay." As he pointed to his head, he said, "You will find in every marathon swimmer something wrong up here."

Carlos Larriera, Argentina (1969)
Carlos won the professional 57K (36-mile) Santa Fe-Coronda river swim in Argentina in 8 hours in 1961 and in 11 hours and 38 minutes in 1962 and was fourth in 1963 and fifth in 1965. He was second in the 32K (20-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean professional race in 9 hours and 53 minutes in 1960.

Gustavo Oriozabala, Argentina (2001)
Gustavo finished second overall on the professional marathon swimming circuit in 1992 and third in 1995. His swims include 42K (26-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada in 1991, 1992 and 1993, 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean in Canada in 1992, 1993 and 1994, the 36K (22.5-mile) Around the Island Swim in Atlantic City, USA in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993, the professional 32K (20-mile) Maratona del Golfo - Capri Napoli in 1991, the 57K (36-mile) Santa Fe-Coronda river swim in Argentina in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994, the 42K (26-mile) Ponza-Cierco swim in Italy in 1990 and 1991, the 28K (17.3-mile) Furth-Nurenberg swim in Germany in 1994, the 41K (25.4-mile) Cruce Bahia de Todos swim in Brazil in 1991, the 35K (21.7-mile) Silvan Lake swim in Canada in 1993, the 88K (54.6-mile) Hernandaras-Parana river swim in Argentina in 1993 and 1994, the 25K (15.5-mile) Holland swim in 1995, crossed the English Channel in 1993, the 41K (25-mile) Rio de Plata swim from Urugary to Argentina in 1993 in 27C (F) water, the 180K (112-mile) Parana Crossing in Argentina in 20:07, and a 47K (29.2-mile) double-crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar in 14 hours and 14 minutes.

He was the first men to cross 20K (12.4 miles) in Lake Titicaca from Peru to Bolivia in 12°C (53.6°F) in 5 hours and 6 minutes 1997. He swam 2K in 3°C (37.4°F) for 21 minutes to become the first person to compete the Beagle Crossing from Argentina to Chile. He also completed a triple-crossing of the Beagle Crossing in 7°C (44.6°F) in 1 hour and 9 minutes in 1998.

Claudio Plit, Argentina (1981)
Claudio has won major professional marathon races for over 30 years and was first or second nine times between 1974 and 1984 while finishing first, second or third in 45 professional marathon swims between 1874 and 1984.

He has competed in the prestigious 34K (21-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean in Canada over 25 times. He won the 64K (39.7-mile) double-crossing of the Traversée internationale du Lac St-Jean in Canada two times. He has won every major professional marathon race, some several times. A partial list of his victories include the 42K (26-mile) Traversée internationale du Lac Memphrémagog in Canada, the 36K (22.5-mile) Around the Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA, the 32K (20-mile) Maratona del Golfo - Capri Napoli, the 58K (36-mile) Santa Fe-Coronda race in Argentina, 29K (18-mile) Paspebiac swim in Canada, the 51.5K (32-mile) Lake Ontario swim in Canada, he 88K (54.6-mile) Hernandaras-Parana swim in Argentina, the 45K (28-mile) Saguenay River swim in Canada, the 24-hour Lac La Tuque relay in Canada, and the Suez Canal, Port Said and Nile River swims in Egypt.

He is the race director for the 38.6K (24-mile) Mar de Plata and Rosario Marathon Swims in Argentina, coaches and escorts swimmers participating on the professional circuit, and has participated as a guest presenter at FINA Open Water Swimming seminars.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

The Big Three in the Great Channel Swim

India vs. Pakistan (cricket). Liverpool vs. Manchester United (soccer). Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier (boxing). AC Milan vs. Inter Milan (soccer). Red Sox vs. Yankees (baseball). Argentina v Brazil (soccer). Andy Irons vs. Kelly Slater (surfing). Ohio State vs. Michigan (football). Kasparov vs. Karpov (chess).

Great rivalries all with passion, intensity, strategy and non-stop action. This is what makes for memorable competitions.

In the sport of marathon swimming, we may soon witness the greatest rivalry since John Kinsella and Claudio Plit went at each other in the English Channel races in the late 1970's.

In August 2009, the fastest three men in English Channel history will showcase their heated rivalry to the world in the Great Channel Swim. Bulgarian Peter Stoychev (6 hours and 57 minutes best time) will face off against Russian Yuri Kudinov (7 hours and 6 minutes) and German Christof Wandratsch (7 hours and 3 minutes in 2005 and 7 hours and 20 minutes in 2003).

Although Peter (shown on left) holds the current record, Yuri has won 3 world 25K championships (over Petar) and Christof (shown above) has won 2 world 25K championships.

For the first time on the world's greatest open water stage, the Big Three of the Channel will go head-to-head, swimming for a £10,000 prize (with £5,000 for second, £2,500 for third and £1,500 for fourth).

"Petar is the standout guy, he's won the [FINA Grand Prix] series for the last [eight] years," said Brendan Capell, another world marathon swimming champion who has the potential to upset the Big Three. "We competed against each other at Lac St Jean in Canada, and the conditions are similar to what we will have across the Channel, it was very cold as the lake freezes over in winter, and it generates quite a swell."

"After 32K, there was just five minutes between Petar and myself, he just managed to pull away at the end. When he set the Channel record (see Petar's route on left), apparently he got a pretty good day. I think this time they haven't set a specific date, it's supposed to be the best weather conditions of the year predicted between the 19th and 24th and they are going to wait for the best date for the race, to try and set up a really fast race."

English Channel Races of the 1970's

The Great Channel Swim, one of the World's Top 100 Open Water Swims, will debut on August 19th this year, but there was another series of English races held 30 years ago that were organized by the Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation with the Channel Swimming Association. The races were sponsored by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz who was a member of the International Olympic Committee.

According to International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame honoree Michael Read, the races took place August 14th 1975, August 18th 1976, August 21st 1977, August 28nd 1978 and August 24th 1979.*

During the first three years, the races were only open to Arabic swimmers, but the 1978 and 1979 races were opened up to include other swimmers. In 1979, there was a major international race with 18 swimmers representing 18 different countries with £1,000 in prize money for the winner. Some of world’s best marathon swimmers participated including John Kinsella of the USA (see photo above), Claudio Plit of Argentina (see photo on left), Michael Read of England and Des Renford of Australia.

One of the problems with the races was that there were money prizes, but the races had amateur swimmers competing with professionals which, at that time, was very much against all amateur rules.

For the first three years, the event was called Arab Nations English Channel Race. In 1977, the results were as follows:

1. Nasser El Shazly (Egypt) 8 hours 45 minutes
2. Elsayed Elsadah (Saudi Arabia) 8 hours 52 minutes
3. Alawi Mekki (Saudi Arabia) 8 hours 54 minutes
4. Ossama Rashad (Egypt) 10 hours 20 minutes

In 1978, Alawi, an honoree of the 1979 honoree of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, turned the tables on his Arab rivals with a victory:

1. Alawi Mekki (Saudi Arabia) 9 hours 54 minutes
2. Ibrahim Faidalla (Egypt) 10 hours 4 minutes
3. Marawan Saleh (Syria) 11 hours 15 minutes
4. Nazla Faidalla (Egypt) 12 hours 16 minutes

In 1979 and 1981, the English Channel races were organized by the Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation and and the Channel Swimming Association and sponsored by Prince Faisal. The 1979 results were as follows:

1. John Kinsella (USA) 9 hours 10 minutes
2. Claudio Plit (Argentina) 9 hours 45 minutes
3. Alawi Mekki (Saudi Arabia) 9 hours 56 minutes
4. Cynthia Nicholas (Canada) 10 hours 10 minutes
5. Joke Van Staveren (Holland) 10 hours 26 minutes

In 1981 results were as follows:
1. Claudio Plit (Argentina) 8 hours 58 minutes
2. Masry El Basam (Syria) 9 hours 10 minutes
3. Ian Muir (England) 9 hours 58 minutes
4. Cynthia Nicholas (Canada) 10 hours 11 minutes
5. Alawi Mekki (Saudi Arabia) 10 hours 33 minutes

According to Sue Guesdon, Prince Faisal funded the Channel races as he was also supporting the International Long Distance Swimming Federation and the Capri-Napoli Marathon Swim at the time (which doubled as the world championships. Egypt’s General Zorkani of the International Long Distance Swimming Federation was in charge of the logistics and operations of the English Channel races together with Ray and Audrey Scott with the assistance of official Channel Swimming Association observers.

Although most of swimmers in the front apparently swam in close proximity to each other, the finishing locations were spread apart along the French coastline.

Although many of the details of the previous English Channel races remain with the individual pilots and competitors, the 2009 Great Channel Swim will be comprehensively covered by the world’s media via real-time communications relayed immediately to the global open water swimming community.

The Great Channel Swim will have six elite men start one hour ahead of six elite woman and four relay teams. The planned start date, if the weather cooperates, will be August 19th.

* There are only about 15 days a year on which swimmers stand a reasonable chance of getting across due to the weaker neap tide; these occur fortnightly in July, August and September, according to an interview in the Independent with Michael Read. However, this race is planned to take place during the stronger spring tides.

First-hand accounts provided by Claudio Plit, Sue Guesdon and Michael Read.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Top Ten Moments in Open Water Swimming History

Vote on our January poll on the Top Ten Moments in Open Water Swimming History. Our panel of experts have selected 35 moments in open water swimming history that we hope are representative of all that is heroic, impressive and memorable in our sport.

Vote on our poll to the left. The great moments in open water swimming history are listed chronologically below:

1. British Matthew Webb’s 21 hour 45 minute first successful crossing of the English Channel in August 1875. His courageous 21 hour 45 minute swim was an accomplishment of the impossible and captured the world’s attention.







2. Hungarian Alfréd Hajós' gold-medal victory in the 1200-meter freestyle at the first modern Olympics in the 13°C (55°F) water of the Aegean Sea in April 1896. He famously said, "My will to live completely overcame my desire to win." His victory was the first true open water swim in Olympic history.






3. Establishment of the La Jolla Rough Water Swim in 1916 to showcase the beautiful seaside community north of San Diego, California. This swim by 7 men became an annual celebration of thousands along the California coastal lifestyle which other communities have followed over the subsequent decades.
[Photo of start]

4. American Gertrude Ederle’s record-breaking 14 hour 39 minute crossing of the English Channel in August 1926. After being the first Olympic gold medalist to attempt the Channel, she was celebrated by one of New York City’s largest ticker-tape parades. She reportedly said, "People said women couldn’t swim the Channel, but I proved they could."





5. Creation of the Channel Swimming Association, including the establishment of specific rules and regulations, to govern English Channel swims in 1927. The rules set forth by this Association have had a profound influence on open water swimming governing bodies that were subsequently established.




6. Canadian George Young’s 15 hour 22 minute victory in the January 1927 race across the Catalina Channel, completing the first crossing while winning US$25,000 over 101 competitors. The Catalina Kid was the only finisher in the Wrigley Ocean Marathon that helped usher in the era of big-money and notoriety to the sport.


7. German Ernst Vierkotter’s victory in the first Canadian National Exhibition race in August 1927, winning US$30,000 for an 11 hour 45 minute 21-mile swim in Lake Ontario. His victory was an early big-money swim in a highly prestigious marathon race that was held annually until 1964.






8. British Mercedes Gleitze’s first successful crossing in 12 hours 50 minutes of the 12.8K (8 mile) Gibraltar Strait between Spain and Morocco in May 1928. Her tenacity in the early years of channel swimming helped pave the way for many to follow.







9. Irish Tom Blower’s 15 hour 26 minute first successful crossing of the 33.7K (21 mile) North (Irish) Channel between Ireland and Scotland in July 1947. His crossing was a breakthrough in cold-water marathon swimming.


10. Establishment of the 3K Vansbrosimningen in central Sweden. The event has introduced and incorporated many elements of open water swimming now commonly found in local races from Asia to America.



11. Establishment of the Traversata dello Stretto race in the Italian Strait of Messina in September 1954. This race, inspired by Giuseppe Dominici's 1930 crossing, is typical of many local coastal swims in the Mediterranean.

12. Inspiration for the 19.2K Rottnest Channel Swim when Gerd von Dincklage-Schulenburg first crossed the channel in 9 hours 45 minutes from Freemantle to Rottnest Island in Western Australia in January 1956. The swim inspired thousands and led to the establishment of the world’s largest open water swimming relay in March 1956.


13. Argentinian Antonio Abertondo’s 43 hour 10 minute first double-crossing of the English Channel in September 1961. His mind-boggling, nearly two-day swim gave new meaning to staying power and opened the door to double-crossing and triple-crossing attempts in various waterways around the world.




14. American Keo Nakama’s 15 hour 37 minute first successful crossing of the 42K (26 mile) Molokai Channel between Molokai and Oahu in Hawaii in September 1961. The former world record holder and NCAA/AAU/Pan American champion came out of retirement to cross a channel thought uncrossable. His effort helped motivate many adult swimmers to take up challenges in various waterways of the world.
[Photo by Ken Sakamoto]

15. New Zealander Barry Devonport’s first crossing of the 30K (16 mile) Cook Strait in 11 hours 20 minutes in November 1962. His crossing came 33 years after the first attempt and helped pave the way for others to follow in one of the trickiest and coldest major swimming channels in the world.





16. Egyptian Abdel-Latif Abo-Heif’s 34 hour 38 minute victory in the 1963 96.5K (60 mile) Lake Michigan Swim Challenge over American Ted Erickson and Dane Greta Anderson. He pushed the limits of what was thought possible over a long-lasting career from 1953 to 1972, remaining competitive and cunning in his race tactics, yet forever garrulous as the most well-respected ambassador of the sport.




17. American Colonel Stewart Evan’s first 32K (20 mile) crossing from the Farallon Islands to the California coast in 13 hours and 46 minutes in August 1967. His careful planning in a cold-water challenge across Great White Shark-invested waters near San Francisco opened the eyes to many on how to form a formidable and professional support team.

18. American John Kinsella’s victories in 26 out of 29 races on the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation circuit from 1974 to 1979. The multiple NCAA and AAU champion was the first male Olympic pool swimming medalist to take his talents to the professional circuit, significantly elevating the quality of professional marathon swimmers worldwide.



19. American Penny Lee Dean’s first English Channel crossing under 8 hours in September 1978. Her tenacious training regimen helped her to shatter the existing Channel record. Her sharing of her training methodologies helped many other marathon swimmers achieve their own personal goals.






20. FINA establishment of a Long Distance Swimming Commission to study the inclusion of open water swimming as its fifth recognized discipline in 1985. This Commission eventually led to the creation of the FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup, the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix circuit and inclusion of the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in the Olympic Games.

21. American Lynne Cox’s 2 hour 6 minute 4.3K (2.7 mile) swim across the Bering Strait from Alaska to the Siberia above the Arctic Circle in 4°C (40°F) water in August 1987. Her historic swim caught the world’s attention, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan, who both credited her with helping bring the Soviet Union and America together and thawing their Cold War relations.




22. Australian Shelley Taylor-Smith’s overall marathon swimming title in 1991 when she won 2 races on the pro circuit (30K in Sydney and 35K in Atlantic City) and got 2 seconds (42K Lac Magog and 40K Lac St-Jean) to rank #1 by the International Marathon Swimming Association over all men and women. This was the sole example of a woman beating men head-to-head over one season. Her dominance led to the gender separation in prize money and the point ranking system, as well as increased prize money for women.

23. Argentina’s Claudio Plit’s close 1-minute 1986 victory over New Zealander Philip Rush in the 64K (40 mile) Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada. His close victory of 17 hours 45 minutes 24 seconds to Philip’s 17 hours 46 minutes 29 seconds over a 40-mile cold-water course was a precursor to the tight racing packs of today. The constant jockeying for position and the strategy and tactics used are still classic to study.




24. The record-setting participation of 17,332 swimmers in South Africa’s 2004 Midmar Mile. The global growth and increasing professionalism of the sport is showcased by the world’s largest open water swimming event.




25. The International Olympic Committee’s October 2005 decision to add marathon swimming to the Beijing Olympics. The inclusion in the Olympics elevated the sport to a new level, providing the impetus for many national governing bodies, coaches and athletes to start preparing for a marathon swim in the Olympics, and generating additional money, sponsors and media attention to the sport.

26. The release of the Argentinian movie Agua that revolved around the 57K Maratón Acuática Internacional Sante Fe-Coronda Marathon Swim. The production and distribution of a fictional movie around one of the longest, most competitive and traditional professional marathon swims in the world is an example of the growing media coverage of the sport.


27. British Lewis Gordon Pugh’s 18 minutes 50 seconds swim in the geographic North Pole in -1.7ºC and 0ºC (29ºF and 32ºF) in July 2007. His pioneering extreme swims in the cold push the boundaries of human capabilities while raising awareness of climate change and motivating action vis-à-vis the fragility of our environment.

28. Bulgarian Petar Stoychev’s breaking of the 7-hour barrier in his record-setting 6 hour 57 minute English Channel swim in August 2007. His training approach and versatility from 1500 meters to 21 miles helped set the direction for other top marathon swimmers.



29. South African Natalie du Toit’s qualification for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Championships. Her humble nature, competitive zeal and heart-warming story as the first amputee to qualify for an Olympic final inspired millions throughout the world.



30. Australian Grant Hackett and Britain’s David Davies’s decision to compete in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim qualification swim in Sevilla, Spain in May 2008. The pool swimming Olympic medalists personified the increasing cross-over of elite pool swimmers to the competitive open water world.
[Photo by Javier Blazquez of David Davies leading pack]





31. Russian Larisa Ilchenko’s dramatic come-from-behind victory at the women’s Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her strategic positioning throughout the race and trademark move at the end are classic textbook tactics for those who wish to achieve success in the marathon swimming world.
[Photo by Pei Qingsheng]




32. Netherland’s Maarten van der Weijden’s improbable come-from-behind victory at the men’s Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His inspirational recovery from leukemia and his unexpected retirement from the sport are newsworthy and dramatic.
[Photo by Pei Qingsheng]





33. Britain’s winning of 3 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim medals in Beijing in August 2008. This achievement greatly helps the 2012 London Olympics Organizing Committee justify more resources and more attention to open water swimming in the build-up to and the hosting of the 2012 Olympics.

34. Hong Kong’s 15K Clean Half Relay incorporated a “carbon-neutral option” in its October 2008 race. The marriage of open water races and environmental issues is taken to a new level when the swimmers are given an outrigger canoe to paddle instead of an escort boat to ride on.



35. GPS or the Global Positioning System was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense and is now commonly used by escort pilots and race directors to navigate courses and set races and turn buoys. The ease of setting a course and determining relative movement in the water has been extremely useful for the sport, especially when currents are strong or in low-visibility conditions.

We believe we summarized many significant moments in open water swimming history, but we know we have overlooked many. Please share your alternative swims, events, people, technologies or trends, suggestions and disagreements in the Comment section.

ADDITIONAL MOMENTS SUBMITTED AFTER POLL OPENED:

36. Danish Greta Anderson competed side-by-side with the best open water swimming men in the world in every major race during the 1950's after winning 2 Olympic medals in the pool. Her October 1958 double crossing of the Catalina Channel in 26 hours 53 minutes was the first double crossing of a major channel. She raised the bar, not only for women, but for everyone else who followed.




New Zealander Philip Rush shattered the triple crossing of the English Channel in a 28 hour 21 minute epic swim in 1987. His ability to go further and faster in colder water set a tremendously high bar for those with similar goals.




Canadian Vicki Keith’s 1989 of unprecedented butterfly marathon swims around the world: the Catalina Channel in 14 hours 53 minutes butterfly in September, swam 31 hours butterfly in 21 miles in Lake Ontario, swam 13 hours butterfly in 18 miles in Lake Winnipeg in August, swam 14 hours butterfly in 20 miles in Juan de Fuca in August, swam the English Channel butterfly in 23 hours 33 minutes in July, swam 13 hours 30 minutes butterfly in her May circumnavigation of Sydney Habour. Her impressive year of butterfly was followed by a period of retirement, then a subsequent year (2005) of raising over $1,000,000 for charity.

Marilyn Bell swim 21 hours to become the first person to swim 51K across Lake Ontario in September 1954. She also won the 1954 Atlantic City Around the Island professional swim in 1954. A documentary, entitled Heart: The Marilyn Bell Story was aired on Canada Broadcasting Company in 2001. She inspired a nation.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association