Previous UK one mile record holder (over 85s category) Ted Gerald left the youngsters in his wake to win the club's longest race, and lift the club's largest cup.
A race celebrating Rosie George, our very own lady of the lake and international marathon swimming legend. The additional one metre is in recognition of Rosie's 1967 France to England Channel swim. It also affords Rosie bragging rights as sponsor of the club's longest race.
Plus news of 2022 club champion Will Luckhust, who recently graduated from RAF Cranwell.
The Serpentine, 7.30am.
An early start for the club's longest race. (photo: Robert Fisher)
Ted Gerald, the victorious veteran and "Master"
Ted was gearing up for a relaxed, steady four laps of the race course, when past President Alan Mitchell mentioned bubbly was on offer amongst the prizes. This prompted a change in Ted's tactics and a definitely non leisurely race!
Ted, with Rosie and fellow cat minder and Kensal Rise resident Mansour Badawi
Water warming, weeds gathering.
It's that time of year again. (photo: Robert Fisher)
A graceful stretch, ready for the race. (photo: Robert Fisher)
Chris Hatcher gets going. (photo: Robert Fisher)
The young Rosemary George, "Queen of Dover", has completed a whole host of long distance swims and became only the third woman to have swum the English Channel in both directions - Dover-Calais in 1961 and Calais-Dover in 1967. The extra 1m is a metric-recognition of the France to England swim, a route now unavailable (no longer allowed by the French authorities). The extra metre affords Rosie the honour of being the sponsor of the Serpentine Swimming Club's longest race on the fixture calendar.
Rosie was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honour Swimmer in 2003.
Rosie’s formative experience in long-distance swimming started when, as a young girl of 16, she crewed on the boat of the Egyptian marathon swimming legend Abou Heif when he won a cross Channel swimming race in 1955 sponsored by the impresario Billy Butlin. His support crew were severely seasick and he kept asking her for chai. She thought he was saying she was "shy". She did eventually learn the Arabic word for tea and several choice Arabic swear words that she will share with you should you upset her! Rosie was the first European female and the third woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.
During the long wait for their race start, Boris shared Channel tips and tactics with Laure. Inspiring, maybe? Scary, probably?
(photo: Robert Fisher)
President Rob spoke of Rosie's contribution to both our club and to the sport of marathon swimming
It was quite a list of achievements
- Awarded the Best British performance in the 1957 Billy Butlin English Channel Swim when she swam for 13 hours 30 minutes. The swim was unsuccessful, the conditions being atrocious.
- Participated in the 1958 Billy Butlin English Channel Swim, but was pulled after 10 hours 25 minutes. Again, conditions were far from favourable.
- 1955 First encounter with the English Channel - crewing for Abdel Latif Abou Heif - "totally hooked" from that experience.
- 1956 Southsea to Ryde and return to Southsea – 18 miles in 9 hours and 15 minutes
- 1957 Donegal Bay, Tullymore to Bundoran, Ireland – 12 miles in about 7 hours
- 1959 Firth of Forth, Kirkaldy to Portbello Scotland - 12 miles in about 8 hours
- 1960 first English Channel attempt withdrawn 400 yards from France after 21 hours 10 minutes
- 1961 crossed the English Channel from England to France in 21 hours 35 minutes.
- 1961 completed the 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli in 12 hours.
- 1962 swam 35 km (21.7 miles) in Lake Ohrid, Yugoslavia in 14 hours.
- 1961 completed the 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli in 11 hours 30 minutes.
- 1963 swam 35 km (21.7 miles) from Jeble to Lattakia in Syria in 12 hours 30 minutes.
- 1963 swam 44 km in Lake Ohrid, Yugoslavia.
- 1963 swam 40 km (24.8 miles) from Montazza to Alexandria in Egypt in 15 hours.
- 1963 swam 44 km (27.3 miles) in the Suez Canal in Egypt in 16 hours.
- 1963 completed the 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli in Italy in 13 hours 4 minutes 59 seconds.
- 1964 swam 40 km in Alexandria Egypt
- 1964 swam 44 km from Jeble to Lattakia in Syria
- 1964 swam 44 km Kabreit to Ismailier
- 1965 swam 40 km in Alexandria Egypt
- 1965 swam 44 km from Jeble to Lattakia in Syria
- 1967 completed a crossing of the English Channel from France to England in 17 hours 50 minutes.
COACHING -
- Served as coach for many English Channel swimmers including Father Robert Manning (US Navy) who crossed the English Channel on 24 August 1984. "Father Bob" won a trophy from the Channel Swimming Association for the longest crossing in 1984, swimming from France to England in 18 hours 15 minutes.
- 1967 France to England in 17 hours 50 minutes, becoming the third woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.
- Coached Jon Erikson at age 14 who crossed the English Channel in 11 hour 23 minutes on 12 August 1969.
- 1976 trained Jon Erikson when he broke his father Ted Erikson's two-way English Channel crossing record of 30 hours 0 minutes.
- 1981 trained Jon Erikson for his three-way English Channel crossing in 38 hours 27 minutes, the first three-way swim.
(source: openwaterpedia)
Ted Gerald, first up for the bubbly and the big, big cup. (photo: Norman Jones)
John Craske crafted his way into second place
Ian MacEarchern, a fabulous third
Fourth place for Boris Mavra, a fellow Channel swimmer. (photo: Norman Jones)
Christmas Day piper Lachlan McDonald arrived to play a reel for Rosie
(photo: Norman Jones)
Rob displayed some very interesting photos of Channel swimmer Rosie from the late 1950s/early 1960s
It is well worth a peek -
Channel Swimming Dover | Celebrating the history and record of channel swims
Quite a few of young Rosie.
Rosie, Dover 1958.
Rosie "greasing-up" at the start of her 1960 Channel attempt.
After the Billy Butlin races, Rosie made her first solo attempt in 1960. She swam from England to France for 21hrs 10mins, but 400 yards from the shore, accompanied by a dinghy with the main pilot boat stood offshore in deeper water, the observer and crew of the dinghy lost sight of the pilot boat in the dark. They pulled Rosie from the water before she could step ashore, and then rowed nine miles into Calais harbour. On boarding the ferry they were apprehended by the French Police, as both the Dover and Calais lifeboats had been launched because they had been reported missing.
Relaxation post training at Dover, early 1960s. (photo reproduced by permission of the Dover Museum)
1967, and a massage from Mum whilst enjoying a post swim cup of tea. Rosie's France to England time was 17hrs 50 minutes.
Many thanks to Dr Lynda Pearce of Dover Museum for permission to reproduce the above photos highlighting young Rosie's career.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s Rosie worked to Jock Fee at the Serpentine Lido during summer seasons. She also worked at the Kenward Ladies pond in the 1990s.
Though never actually taking part in our competitive calendar, Rosie has acted as race judge (and jury?) for many years.
Rosie and Jock are standing outside the pay kiosk at the then entrance to the Lido. This area is now within the service yard at the back of the Serpentine Pavilion. Rosie spent many hot summer hours in the kiosk welcoming eager members of the public.
And finally, news of Will Luckhurst's graduation from Cranwell
Pilot Officer William Luckhurst
Will was our 2022 Club Champion
(report compiled by Brian Thomas)