Le Driant, Joseph

Winner of the Corbeil-Paris long distance swimming race in 1925

The marathon nautical Corbeil-Paris is a long distance swimming race, a distance of 40 km, between Corbeil and Paris. It is organized by the newspaper L’Auto. The first race took place on August 3 1924, and saw Albert Chrétien, 34, triumph over Georges Michel and Emile Lardet

1924 Albert Chrétien (12h03), Georges Michel (12h32), Émile Lardet (12h44), Bébé Lavogade (12h55)
1925 Joseph Le Driant (12h36), Georges Pouilley (12h45), Georges Michel (14h33), Miss Harrison USA (14h36)
1926 Georges Michel (11h09), Joseph Le Driant (11h24), Omer Perreault (12h38), Mdme. Sion (13h04)

The Ogden Standard Examiner, Utah, July 11 1926:
Joseph Le Driant, a French sailor, is to try the Channel swim this year. He has found backers among French devotees of sport for the attempt. Their faith is based on his victory in the “Water Marathon” last August, a swim down the Seine from Corbeil to Paris, 23 miles, which he won in 12 hours 36 minutes. A Breton, with all a Breton’s proverbial obstinacy, Le Driant has swum in channel waters since a boy. With Le Driant and Mme. Sion as competitors, the French think the tricolor has an excellent chance to score masculine and feminine successes this year.