Ned Barnie of Great Britain and Toufic Bleik of Lebanon greasing up for 1954 Race.

Butlin’s International Channel Swim, 1954 Ned Barnie – Great Britain,and Toufic Bleik – Lebanon, Greasing up at the start of the race.

Toufic Bleik of the Lebanon, for his success of 1953 Bleik set off from Cap Gris-Nez in the early hours of Bank Holiday Monday Aug 3. 1953. He landed at St Margaret’s Bay shortly before 6 00 pm. His time was 16 hrs 05 min. He swam into a thick patch of oil discharged from a tanker and had some difficulty with his goggles. He had three unsuccessful attempts: 25/07/1953  (12 hours), in the 1954 Billy Butlin race he swam for 16hrs,  and in 1955 Butlins he swam 3hrs 53mins.

Ned Barnie was the first Scotsman to swim the Channel in 1950 in a 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 in 19hrs 02mins, and the second was in the Daily Mail swim in 15hrs  01mins. He made 6 unsuccessful attempts between 1952 to 1956. 

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