Butlins Race 1954, Pool Training: Barnie, Pereira, James, Kammersgaard, Hamad and Paysour

Ned Barnie-GB

Butlin’s International Channel Swim, 1954; Folkestone Open Air Pool Folkestone, Kent. The swimmers keeping themselves occupied during their preparation for the swim.  The swimmers are, from the left, Ned Barnie – GB, Baptista Pereira – Portugal, Jenny James – GB, Jenny Kammersgaard – Denmark, Marie Hassen Hamad – Egypt and Bob Paysour – USA.

Baptista Pereira, Portugal, winner of the Channel Race, won in a time of 12hrs 26 secs.  In the 1959 Butlin swim he was placed 3rd in a time of 13hrs 12mins. He entered the 1955, 56, and 57 swims but was unable to start. He set a new record for the Strait of Gibraltar in 5hrs 4mins in 1956 and he again set a new record of 4hrs 34mins.

Marie Hassen Hamad from Egypt was second, also landing at the South Foreland.

Jenny Kammersgaard of Copenhagen; swims include Kattaget, Sea land to Jutland 1937. Baltic to Jutland 1937. Denmark to Germany 1938. She was the first woman to swim the channel Breast stroke. She made two successful swims, both Daily Mail; she was the last lady in both races, in 1950 she did 16hrs 27mins and she was the second women swimmer to finish and the last successful swimmer to finish, 15 swimmers failed. In 1951 she swam in 15hrs 38mins. She swam two individuals in 1952, without success and one in 1954. Her cheery disposition earned her the title of the “smiling swimmer”.

Robert Frederic Paysor, USA, had two unsuccessful swims, both France- England, 14th August 1952, time 12hrs 15mins, and then swam in the Billy Butlin swim 21st August 1954, time 12hrs 40mins.

He swam 22 miles upstream in the Catawba River, 1950.

Ned Barnie was the first Scotsman to swim the Channel in 1950, time 14hrs 45mins, in the Daily Mail Race. He was the first man to swim it in both directions in 1951; the first swim was England to France, 19hrs 02mins and the second was in the Daily Mail swim in 15hrs 01mins. He made 6 unsuccessful attempts between 1952 to 1956. 

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

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