Our Christmas morning piper Lachlan McDonald made a summer appearance to serenade the field as they swam one metre past the standard finish point.
Cup and cake, a Serpentine tradition
Charlotte took the honours, and supplied the grub (photo: James Norton)
A Serpentine Christmas morning tradition, in early summer
Our Christmas morning piper and good friend of Rosie, Lachlan McDonald, made a summer appearance to serenade the field as they arrived at the finish
By the time of her successful 1961 English Channel crossing the young Rosie George was a well established international marathon swimmer of quite some repute. Saturday's 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.
Those in the know will tell you France-England this is the harder direction. It is also now unachievable - the French coastguard outlawed swimmers starting Channel crossings from their shores in 1993.
Past President Brian Thomas stood in for current President Rob Ouldcott
(photo: Norman Jones)
President Rob was due to have set off at midnight for a relay swim to the Normandy beaches, accompanied by Katie Berlin-Holmes, Craig Kerr, Anna Kerr, Boris Mavra and Edinburgh swimmer Innis.
As their start had been put back to Sunday Rob was able to join us for the morning. However, to conserve energy he did not race, and more importantly also opted not to make his customary strength sapping, exhaustingly long rambling speech and allowed Brian to do the honours.
The swim is in aid of a Royal Marines charity. Follow this link if you wish to donate -
Rosemary George, our very own Channel legend
(photo: Dover Museum)
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. Rosie thought he was saying "shy". She did eventually learn the Arabic word for tea, and several choice Arabic swear words that may be shared should you upset her!
Rosie was the first European female and the third woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.
(photo: Dover Museum)
- 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.
Plus of course advice and guidance to countless Serpentine swimmers embarking on a long distance challenge, be it solo or relay.
(source: openwaterpedia)
Being such a long event the race clock started at half past seven
Thanos cut a lonely figure
Even the wildlife looked puzzled by the early start (photo: Mike Harris)
First home Charlotte Hallward looked painfully exhausted at the finish
(photo: Nick Hungerford)
Backs to the camera for the finishers close on Charlotte's tail (photo: Nick Hungerford)
Faces revealed - Alan Mitchell and Graham Buckle (who unfortunately did not qualify for a prize as he has temporarily dropped off the formal handicap list). (photo: Nick Hungerford)
Post race and pre-presentation, Charlotte and Graham Buckle performed their unique warm-down routine
(photo: Nick Hungerford)
The Dover Museum has a real treasure trove of images from the 1950s and 1960s, the era of the Daily Mail and Billy Butlin sponsored English Channel races
There are quite a few of Rosie. Just click on the link.
Rosemary George, Great Britain - Channel Swimming Dover
This Youtube link will take you to a Pathe News film of the 1957 Billy Butlin Cross Channel race from France to England.
Phoxfer UK V13 B7 16x9 VO2 (youtube.com)
It gives an idea of the atrocious conditions that Rosie and her fellow swimmers faced. Rosie swam for 13 hours and 30 minutes before being forced to curtail the swim. Despite this, Rosie was awarded a prize for the best British performance.
The Billy Butlin English Channel competitors, 1959
Rosie, third from the right (photo: Dover Museum)
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.
Rosie succeeded in crossing the Channel the following year, 1961.
Rosie worked at the summer season at the Serpentine Lido in the late 1970s and early 80s
Rosie with Jock Fee, Superintendent of the Serpentine Lido. We raced for the Jock Fee cup last Saturday, 15 July.
Jon Erikson, a "pupil" of Rosie
Jon used the Serpentine as his base when training for his three-way English Channel attempt in 1980, and again in 1981. The 1980 attempt was curtailed by bad weather. Jon successfully complete the three way crossing in August 1981 in a time of 38 hours 27 minutes.
11 to 13 August 1981, trained by Rosie and Jon's marathon swimming father Ted Erikson
Sadly Jon died in 2014, aged 59
Rosie also worked at the Kenwood Ladies Pond
With Pushkin the pond's cat, 1992
Fizzingly lovely prizes from Rosie
(photo: Norman Jones)
Big smiles for Charlotte (photo: Nick Hungerford)
Alan Mitchell second (photo: Norman Jones)
Linda Luckhurst third (photo: Norman Jones)
John Craske fourth (photo: Norman Jones)
And a bottle for the piper
(photo: Norman Jones)
(Report compiled by Brian Thomas. Images provided by Brian and the club's archives, unless credited to individuals. Plus also any thanks to Dr Lynda Pearce of Dover Museum for permission to reproduce the photos highlighting young Rosie's career)