Sam Rockett, Toufic Bleik and Bob Paysour, 1954

Butlin’s International Channel Swim 1954. Folkestone Open Air Pool. The man on the left is unknown. Second from left is Sam Rockett, Race Marshall, folowed by Toufic Bleik of the Lebanon, and Bob Paysour U.S.A.

Toufic Bleik, Lebanon, swam from France to England 3rd August 1953. His time was 16hrs 5mins. In July he was unsuccessful, he swam for 12 hours.

For his one successful swim, 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.

In the Butlin’s International Channel Swim 1954, Toufic Bleik was 22 years old, and was unsuccessful after having swam for 16 hours.

He had three unsuccessful attempts in all: 25/07/1953 (12 hours), in the 1954 Billy Butlin race swam for 16hrs and in 1955 he swam 3hrs 53mins in the Butlins race.

Robert Frederic Paysor Had two unsuccessful swims both France- England, 14th August 1952, time 12hrs 15mins. He then swam in the Billy Butlin swim of 1954, time 12hrs 40mins. He swam 22 miles upstream in the Catawba River 1950. 

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