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USAUnited StatesSport:SwimmingFlorence Chadwick was an American ocean swimmer from San Diego whose career connected local rough-water racing with international marathon swimming. Before attempting the Channel, she spent years competing off the California coast, then trained in the Persian Gulf while working for the Arabian American Oil Company. Employment helped finance an ambition that required boats, navigation and sustained preparation as well as swimming ability.
After an unsuccessful attempt in July 1950, she crossed from France to England on 8 August in 13 hours and 23 minutes, lowering the women’s record. The following September she completed the reverse route, from St. Margaret’s Bay to Sangatte. These were separate crossings: together they made her the first woman to succeed in both directions, rather than a continuous return swim.
Her later achievements ranged well beyond the Channel. On 21 September 1952 she completed the Catalina Channel in 13 hours 47 minutes 32 seconds. The next year she swam Gibraltar, the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, alongside another successful English Channel crossing. A further England-to-France success followed in October 1955. Her work as a swimming coach and her repeated attempts place those records within a longer career of preparation, teaching and persistence.
The recorded nationality is United States.
First woman to swim the Channel in both directions, on separate swims
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
Tuesday, 8 August 1950
France → England
Elapsed time · 13h 23m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Published account checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Monday, 10 September 1951 – Tuesday, 11 September 1951
England → France
Elapsed time · 16h 19m
Start clock · 22:30 · Time zone not specified
Finish clock · 14:40 · Time zone not specified
Sources disagree · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Wednesday, 12 October 1955 (recorded swim date)
England → France
Elapsed time · 13h 55m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Ratifying body's record checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
Sunday, 21 September 1952 (event date)
Completed Catalina Island → mainland.
Elapsed time · 13h 47m 32s
Historical account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
1953 · exact day not confirmed
Completed the Strait of Gibraltar swim.
Historical account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
8 August 1950
France to England; women’s record.
10–11 September 1951
First woman successful England to France.
1952
Completed Catalina to the mainland in 13:47:32.
1953
Channel, Gibraltar, Bosporus and Dardanelles.
12 October 1955
England-to-France time of 13h 55m.
Achievements update from recorded results. A tick means the supporting results are verified.
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First recorded finish
1 more finish needed
0 of 1 recorded
Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
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