Choose a language
Translations open in a new tab using Google Translate. English opens the original page.
28 of 28 languages
ENGEnglandSport:SwimmingBrenda Fisher was born on 9 June 1927 and grew up in Scartho, near Grimsby, the daughter of a trawler skipper. She learned to swim as a child and trained with Grimsby Mermaids under Mr McNally. Morecambe Bay became an early testing ground: the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame credits her with women’s victories there in 1948 and 1951.
Her best-known result came on 16 August 1951, when she swam from France to England in 12 hours and 42 minutes during the Daily Mail race. It was a women’s Channel record. She returned for the Butlin race in 1954 and again finished as the leading woman. The CSA lists that second crossing at 14 hours and 36 minutes.
Fisher also pursued international marathon events. Her 1956 season included the Nile race, described by the Hall of Fame as a two-day competition, and a Lake Ontario crossing. The available Ontario accounts disagree on her elapsed time, so the completion is recorded here without choosing one of the competing figures.
After competitive swimming she taught swimming in Grimsby. She received the British Empire Medal in 2018, died on 2 August 2022 and was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2023.
Two women’s Channel race victories · 1951 record of 12:42
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
Thursday, 16 August 1951 (recorded swim date)
France → England
Elapsed time · 12h 42m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Historical account checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
1954 · exact day not recorded here
France → England
Elapsed time · 14h 36m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Sources disagree · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Open-water swimming · Race
1948 · exact day not confirmed
Morecambe Bay, England
Won the women’s race.
Published distance · 14.5 km
Placing / category · First woman
Published account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Staged event
1956 · exact day not confirmed
River Nile, Egypt
Won the women’s competition; the event consisted of two days.
Published distance · 47 km across a two-day race
Placing / category · First woman
Published account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
1956 · exact day not confirmed
Niagara to Toronto, Lake Ontario
Completed the Niagara-to-Toronto crossing in September; elapsed time remains disputed.
Published distance · 51 km
Sources disagree · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Thursday, 9 June 1927
Born into a Grimsby seafaring family; raised in Scartho.
1948
IMSHOF records a women’s win over 14.5 km.
Thursday, 16 August 1951
Completed France to England in 12:42.
1954
First woman home in the Butlin race; CSA time 14:36.
1956
Completed the staged Nile race and crossed Lake Ontario.
2018
Recognised for achievements in swimming.
2023
Honoured posthumously by IMSHOF.
Achievements update from recorded results. A tick means the supporting results are verified.
No eligible completed results are linked yet. Link a completed result to start the achievement collection.
First recorded finish
1 more finish needed
0 of 1 recorded
Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
Log in or create a free account to see the full results history, achievements and profile details.
Confirm ownership through the claim process before editing a profile.