Brenda Fisher & Mohamed El Soussi

Butlin’s International Channel Swim, 1954. Folkestone. Brenda Fisher and Mohamed El Soussi.

Mohamed El Soussi swam in the 1954 Billy Butlin Race and finished 5th in the Men’s Race in a time of 17hrs 55mins. He entered the 1955 race but was unsuccessful – he swam for 12hrs. He entered the 1956 race, but was one of the 22 swimmers that did not start.

Brenda Fisher of Great Britain was successful in the 1954 race, and the first Lady home in a time of 14hrs 25mins.

Brenda was a very successful long distance swimmer; in 1948 she won the Morecambe Bay Championship and in 1951 she was the first Lady home in a new record time of 12hrs 42mins – she recieved a trophy from Eva Peron for being the first lady home. In 1954 she was the first lady home, her time was 14hrs 36mins.

In 1956 she swam Lake Ontario in a new record time of 18hrs 51mins. Also in 1956 she was the first lady home in the Nile Swim. In 1957 she swam for 15hrs 25mins in the Billy Butlin Swim.

From the Sam Rockett Collection. A Black and White Photograph.