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World Marathon Swimming Records (EUROPE)

The list below is a list of the marathon swimming records over 10 kilometers – done without
wetsuits and according to traditional English Channel swimming rules – throughout Europe.
With over 70% of the Earth covered in water, the number of records and locations to swim are
numerous and potentially endless.

If you know of additional records or new records that have been set anywhere in the world,
please email the name of the world record holder, their country, date (month, day and year),
location, distance and official time to Open Water Source.

North (Irish) Channel (21 miles between Ireland and Scotland)

First Crossing: Tom Blower (England), 27 July 1947, 15:26
Fastest Ireland-Scotland Crossing: Alison Streeter (Great Britain), 9:53
Fastest Scotland-Ireland Crossing: Alison Streeter (Great Britain), 10:02

English Channel (between England and France)

First Crossing: Captain Matthew Webb (England), 24 August 1875, 21:45
First England-France Crossing: Captain Matthew Webb (England), 24 August 1926, 21:45
First France-England Crossing: Enrico Tiroboschi (Italy), 12 August 1923, 16:33
First Female Crossing: Gertrude Ederle (USA), 6 August 1926, 14:36
First Female France-England Crossing: Gertrude Ederle (USA), 6 August 1926, 14:36
Queen of English Channel: Alison Streeter (UK), 43 crossings
King of English Channel: Kevin Murphy (UK), 34 crossings
Fastest Crossing (England/France): Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria), 2007, 6:57.50
Fastest Crossing (France/England): Richard Davey (UK), 1988, 8:05
Fastest Female Crossing (England/France): Yvetta Hlavacova (Czech Republic), 2006, 7:25
Fastest Female Crossing (France/England): Alison Streeter (UK), 1989, 8:48
Oldest Male Crossing: George Brunstad (USA), 2004, 70 years and 4 days, 15:59
Oldest Female Crossing: Sue Oldham (Australia), 2010, 65 years, 17:11
Youngest Boy Crossing: Thomas Gregory (UK), 1988, 11 years 11 months, 11:54
Youngest Girl Crossing: Samantha Druce (UK), 1983, 12 years 118 days, 15:27
Longest Time for Solo Crossing: Jackie Cobell (Great Britain), 2010, 28:44

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Longest Time for 2-way Crossing: Antonio Abertondo (Argentina), 1961, 43:10
Fastest 2-way Crossing (England-France-England): Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1987, 16:10
Fastest 2-way Crossing (France-England-France): Philip Rush (New Zealand), 1987, 20:26
Fastest 2-way Woman Crossing: Susie Maroney (Australia), 1991, 17:14
Fastest 2-way Woman Crossing (France-England-France): Alison Streeter, 1990, 24:04
Fastest 3-way Crossing (England-France-England-France): Philip Rush, (New Zealand),
1987, 28:21
First woman 3-way Crossing (England-France-England-France): Alison Streeter (UK), 1990,
34:40
First 3-way Crossing (England-France-England-France): Jon Erikson (USA), 1981, 38:27
Fastest Breaststroke Crossing: Frederik Jaques (Belgium), 2005, 13:31
Fastest Butterfly Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw MBE, (UK), 2002, 14:18
Fastest Backstroke Crossing: Tina Neill, (USA), 2005, 13:22

Round Jersey Island (41 miles, British Channel Island)

First Solo Circumnavigation: Denize le Pennec (Jersey), 1969, 13:55
Fastest Solo Circumnavigation: 2010 Nick Adams (Great Britain), 2010, 9:51
Fastest Female Solo Circumnavigation: Alison Streeter (Great Britain), 1989, 9:53.47
Oldest Solo Circumnavigation: 60-year-old Jean-Paul Madelenat (France), 2002, 11:46.46

Jersey Island to France Solo (18 miles)

First Channel Crossing: Denize Le Pennec (Jersey), 1966, 9:25
Fastest Channel Crossing: Nick Adams (Great Britain), 2008, 7:03
Fastest Female Channel Crossing: Alison Wood (Jersey), 2010, 8:07

Round Guernsey (28 miles, British Channel Island)

First Solo Circumnavigation: Alison Horsfall, 1998, 9:39.53min
Fastest Solo Circumnavigation: Richard Flambard, 1999, 9:06

Round Alderney (6 miles, British Channel Island)

First Solo Circumnavigation: Alison Horsfall, 2000, 43:03

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Sark to Guernsey
First Solo Circumnavigation: Richard Flambard, 1990, 4:57.5

Guernsey to Jersey
First Crossing: Ruth Oldham (Jersey), 1962, 15:15

Falmouth Harbour (12K, Falmouth – St Mawes – Penryn – Falmouth, England)

First Crossing: Ken Brewer (Great Britain) 1969, 3:24:14
Fastest Crossing: Ken Brewer (Great Britain) 1969, 3:24:14
Fastest Female Crossing: Willy van Rysal (Netherlands) 1969, 4:24:00

Strait of Gibraltar (between Spain and Morocco)

First Crossing: Mercedes Gleitze (Great Britain), 4 May 1928, 12:50
First Male Crossing: David Eulogio Carpio Massiotti (Peru), 22 July 1948, 9:20
Fastest Crossing: Georgios Charcharis (Greece), 2009, 2:16
Fastest Female Crossing: Penny Palfrey (Australia), 2010, 3:03
Fastest Double Crossing: Mateo Pesquer Campos (Spain), 2006, 7:55
Fastest Female Double Crossing: Penny Palfrey (Australia), 2010, 8:27
Oldest Male Swimmer: 77-year-old David Eulogio Carpio Massiotti (Peru), 1987, 7:34
Oldest Female Swimmer: 64-year-old Carol Sing (USA), 2005, 5:27
King of the Strait: Pere Estatuet Llorens (Spain) and Antonio Gil Bravo (Spain), both with 8
crossings

Lake Zürich International Self-Transcendence Marathon Swim (26.4K, Switzerland)

Fastest Crossing from Rapperswil to Zürich, Switzerland: Maarouf Mohamed (Egypt), 5:51

Isle of Wight to Southampton (15K from Cowes to Southampton, Great Britain)

First Crossing: Ken Brewer (Great Britain), 7 October 1973, 6:33

Bristol Channel (8 – 23 miles between England and Wales)

First Crossing between Penarth to Weston-super-Mare (8.5 miles): Kathleen Thomas (Great
Britain), 5 September 1927, 7:20

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First Crossing between Ilfracombe (Devon, England) to Caswell Bay (Swansea, Wales) (23
nautical miles): Gethin Jones (Great Britain), 12 September 2009, 21:39:34

Koroni – Kalamata 30K Marathon Swim (Greece)

Fastest Crossing: Ian van der Hulst (Netherlands), 2010, 6:32:00
Fastest Female Crossing: Mouala Homan (Syria), 1998, 7:00:00

Kalamata – Koroni – Kalamata 60K Marathon Swim (Greece)

Fastest Crossing: Jay Benner (USA), 2000, 14:26:00
Fastest Female Crossing: Psiloginou Sophia (Greece), 2004, 23:03:00

Sognefjord (Norway)
First Staged Swim: Lewis Pugh (Great Britain), August 2004, 204K over 21 days

IJsselmeermarathon Stavoren – Medemblik (22K, the Netherlands)

Fastest Crossing: Maarten van der Weijden (Netherlands), 2004, 4:20.58
Fastest Female Crossing: Etta van der Weijden (Netherlands), 1996, 4:33.08
Fastest Breaststroke Crossing: Paul Oudendijk (Netherlands), 2009, 6:48.30
King of the IJsselmeermarathon: Joost Kuijlaars (Netherlands), 20 crossings
Queen of the IJsselmeermarathon: Irene van der Laan (Netherlands), 14 crossings

Cork City to Myrtleville (25K, Ireland)

First Crossing: 2009: Owen O’Keefe (Ireland), 2009

Dingle Bay (24K from Duluos to Slea Head, Ireland)

First Crossing: Kevin Murphy (Great Britain) 2007

Valentia Island Swim (27K, Ireland)

First Circumnavigation: Ned Denison (USA/Ireland) 2008

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KIlmacsimon (from Bandon River to The Dock to Speckled Door (23K, Ireland)
First Swim: Danny Coholan and Imelda Lynch (Ireland) 2006

Skellig Michael to Portmagee (19K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Rob Bohane (Ireland) 2007

Crosshaven to Blackrock Village (18K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Ray Terry (Ireland) 2007

Cobh Island (23K, Ireland)

First Circumnavigation: Ned Denison (USA/Ireland) 2006

Fastnet to Schull (20K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Stephen Redmond (Ireland) 2009

Cork to Cobh (16K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Ned Denison, John Downes, Tadhg Harrington, Ciaran Byrne, Fergal
Somerville and Linda Clarke (Ireland), 2009

Cape Clear to Schull (11.8K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Stephen Redmond (Ireland) 2009

Reengaroga Island (10.5K, Ireland)

First Circumnavigation: Steve Black (Ireland) 2010

Aran Islands to Galway (Ireland)

First Crossing: Felim Ó Maoláin (Ireland) 2002, 15:00

Tory Island to Maeroarty (14K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Dermot Duffy (Ireland) 1996, 5:25
First Female Crossing: Anne McAdam (Ireland) 2003, 6:57

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Clew Bay (12K, Ireland)

Fastest Crossing: Owen Sisk (Ireland) 2003, 5:14

Boffin Swim (11.5K, Ireland)

Fastest Crossing: Colm O’Neill (Ireland) 2000, 2:45

Capel Island into Youghal Bay (11K, Ireland)

First Crossing: Mairead Ni Eidhin (Ireland) 2006

Killary Fjord (19.3K, Ireland)

Fastest Crossing: Ronan Joyce (Ireland) 6:27

Aeolian Islands to Sicily (22.5K, Italy)

Fastest 22.5K Crossing from Vulcano to Milazzo: Giuseppe Nicosia (Italy), 5:27:07
Fastest 21K Crossing from Vulcano to Capo Calavà: Nino Fazio (Italy), 5:35:05
Fastest 22K Female Crossing from Vulcano - Capo Calavà: Cristina Scotto (Italy), 5:37:02

Lake Windermere (10.5 miles between Fellfoot and Waterhead, England)

Fastest Crossing: Justin Palfrey (Great Britain), 1997, 3:48:04
Fastest Female Crossing: Sara Ward (Great Britain), 1996 3:53:30
Fastest Breaststroke Crossing: Chris Partington (Great Britain), 1991, 5:56:18
Fastest Female Breaststroke Crossing: Heather Macdonald (Great Britain), 1996, 6:27:36
Fastest Butterfly Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 1991, 6:07:29
First Three-way Crossing: Michael Read (Great Britain), 1972, 19:34 (31.5 miles)
Fastest Three-way Crossing: Michael Read (Great Britain), 1972, 19:34 (31.5 miles)
First Female Three-way Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 1980, 20:17 (31.5
miles)
First Four-way Crossing: Michael Read (Great Britain), 1973, 26:03 (42 miles)
First Female Four-way Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 1981, 23:17 (42
miles)
Fastest Four-way Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 1981, 23:17 (42 miles)
Most Crossings: Michael Read (Great Britain), 39 crossings

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Lough Erne (10.5 miles in Ireland)

First Butterfly Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 2006, 5:41

Lake Bala (6.5 miles in Wales)

First Butterfly Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 2006, 5:02

Coniston (11 miles in England)

First Butterfly Two-way Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 2000, 8:42

Ullswater (7.25 miles in England)

First Butterfly Crossing: Dr. Julie Bradshaw, MBE (Great Britain), 1996, 4:29

Croatian International Long Distance Swimming Championship (19K in Faros, Croatia)

Fastest Female: Linsy Heister (Netherlands), 2010, 3:13:31

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