Kristian Rutford

Athlete IDATH-1053284

USAUnited StatesSport:Swimming

Biography

Rutford swam the English Channel and circled Manhattan less than a month apart in 1988. His Channel trainer, Robert Mizelle, was the college friend whose own crossing had encouraged him to try. His Manhattan career included a clockwise swim in 1995 that took 17 hours 48 minutes 30 seconds.

Guinness counted 23 Manhattan circuits from 1988 through 2019. The New York register also lists later circuits under Kris Rutford, including 6 August 2026. His Catalina crossing in 2016 took 11 hours 41 minutes 5 seconds.

The recorded nationality is United States.

Kristian Rutford's published record includes performances from 1988 to 2026 in Open-water swimming — English Channel solo, Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim, Open-water swimming — Catalina Channel solo. Selected recorded events include English Channel solo (1988; source checked); Manhattan Island swim (2026; source checked); Catalina Channel solo (2016; source checked).

Source-checked results include 1st overall over Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim at Manhattan Island swim (2014-06-28).

Source-checked results include 1st overall over Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim at Manhattan Island swim (2013-08-24).

English Channel record

Kristian Rutford crossed the English Channel from England to France in 10 hours 44 minutes on 5 August 1988.

Also recorded as Kris Rutford.

Crossing details, recordings & verification

Sporting nationality in the Channel register: USA

Selected Channel swims

English Channel solo, 5 August 1988

Elapsed time · 10:44:00 (h:mm:ss)

Course · England to France

Departure clock · 05:59:00

Arrival clock · 16:43:00

Pilot · Ray Dixon

Escort vessel · Channel Express

Observer · I. Muir

Trainer · Robert Mizelle

Ratification · Channel Swimming Association

Sporting country on this result · USA

Clock basis · The source does not specify a time zone.

Other events & swims

Catalina Channel solo, 22 September 2016

Elapsed time · 11:41:05 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Santa Catalina Island to the California mainland

Ratification · Catalina Channel Swimming Federation

Manhattan Island swim, 27 August 1988

Elapsed time · 7:48:56 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 5

Manhattan Island swim, 19 August 1989

Elapsed time · 7:56:39 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 6

Manhattan Island swim, 19 August 1990

Elapsed time · 7:10:04 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 4

Manhattan Island swim, 10 August 1991

Elapsed time · 7:06:44 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 2

Manhattan Island swim, 29 August 1992

Elapsed time · 5:53:57 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Mill Rock

Landing · Mill Rock

Sporting country on this result · USA

Manhattan Island swim, 21 August 1993

Elapsed time · 7:26:30 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 12 August 1995

Elapsed time · 17:48:30 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Clockwise around Manhattan

Sporting country on this result · USA

Record note · The 8 Bridges race history identifies this as the first reverse circuit of Manhattan.

Manhattan Island swim, 3 August 1996

Elapsed time · 7:33:13 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 4

Manhattan Island swim, 19 July 1997

Elapsed time · 7:26:26 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 4

Manhattan Island swim, 11 July 1998

Elapsed time · 7:47:31 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 5

Manhattan Island swim, 12 June 1999

Elapsed time · 7:10:24 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 4

Manhattan Island swim, 27 September 2003

Elapsed time · 8:36:15 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Sporting country on this result · USA

Manhattan Island swim, 23 June 2004

Elapsed time · 7:51:18 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 8

Manhattan Island swim, 16 June 2007

Elapsed time · 9:51:03 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 13

Manhattan Island swim, 5 July 2008

Elapsed time · 7:55:17 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 8

Manhattan Island swim, 12 June 2010

Elapsed time · 8:21:15 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 11

Manhattan Island swim, 18 June 2011

Elapsed time · 8:18:45 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 16

Manhattan Island swim, 23 June 2012

Elapsed time · 8:10:29 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 12

Manhattan Island swim, 24 August 2013

Elapsed time · 8:22:20 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 28 June 2014

Elapsed time · 8:42:53 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 1 August 2015

Elapsed time · 7:50:24 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 10

Manhattan Island swim, 14 July 2018

Elapsed time · 7:49:24 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 6

Manhattan Island swim, 13 August 2019

Elapsed time · 7:57:23 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 26 July 2021

Elapsed time · 7:50:36 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 14 July 2022

Elapsed time · 7:26:38 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 4 August 2023

Elapsed time · 8:08:42 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 26 July 2024

Elapsed time · 8:13:06 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 10 August 2025

Elapsed time · 8:17:55 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Ratification · New York Open Water

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

Manhattan Island swim, 6 August 2026

Elapsed time · 8:25:07 (h:mm:ss)

Course · Counterclockwise around Manhattan

Start location · Pier A, Battery

Landing · Pier A, Battery

Sporting country on this result · USA

Published place · 1

English Channel questions

When did Kristian Rutford swim the English Channel?: Kristian Rutford swam from England to France on 5 August 1988 in 10 hours 44 minutes.
Who piloted Kristian Rutford’s Channel crossing?: Ray Dixon piloted Channel Express on 5 August 1988.
How long did Kristian Rutford take to swim the Catalina Channel?: The island-to-mainland swim on 22 September 2016 took 11 hours 41 minutes 5 seconds.

Achievements & next milestones

Achievements update from recorded results. A tick means the supporting results are verified.

Achieved

31 finishes completed
Based on 31 distinct completed events in your linked record.
Verified
Raced in 30 calendar years
At least one recorded finish in each year; this does not imply an uninterrupted streak.
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2003
- 2004
- 2007
- 2008
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2018
- 2019
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Each year counts once. A tick means at least one result from that year is verified.
Verified

Next milestones

50 finishes
19 more finishes needed
31 of 50 recorded
2 different sports
1 more different sport needed
1 of 2 recorded
40 calendar years with a finish
10 more calendar years with a finish needed
30 of 40 recorded

Career highlights

Selected events from this athlete’s recorded career. Verification is shown for each record.

English Channel solo
1988 · Open-water swimming — English Channel solo
Performance: 10:44:00
Source checked
Manhattan Island swim
2026 · Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim
Performance: 8:25:07
Source checked
Catalina Channel solo
2016 · Open-water swimming — Catalina Channel solo
Performance: 11:41:05
Source checked

Earlier results

Showing 11–15 of 31 recorded performances.

Athlete results history
Race date	Race name	Sport	Distance / discipline	Location	Performance	Place	Category
Sat, 28 Jun 2014	Completed event · Gold · 1st · Overall · Manhattan Island swim	Swimming	Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim	Counterclockwise around Manhattan—	8:42:53VerifiedTiming unknown	1	—
Sat, 24 Aug 2013	Completed event · Gold · 1st · Overall · Manhattan Island swim	Swimming	Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim	Counterclockwise around Manhattan—	8:22:20VerifiedTiming unknown	1	—
Sat, 23 Jun 2012	Completed event · Finisher · Manhattan Island swim	Swimming	Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim	Counterclockwise around Manhattan—	8:10:29VerifiedTiming unknown	12	—
Sat, 18 Jun 2011	Completed event · Finisher · Manhattan Island swim	Swimming	Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim	Counterclockwise around Manhattan—	8:18:45VerifiedTiming unknown	16	—
Sat, 12 Jun 2010	Completed event · Finisher · Manhattan Island swim	Swimming	Open-water swimming — Manhattan Island swim	Counterclockwise around Manhattan—	8:21:15VerifiedTiming unknown	11	—

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