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USAUnited StatesSport:SwimmingTed Erikson brought a scientist’s curiosity to marathon swimming. Born in Montana, he served in the United States Navy and joined a swim team while stationed at Key West. At the Illinois Institute of Technology he became an undergraduate swimming captain, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and later worked as a research chemist. He also taught mathematics, physics and chemistry.
His long-distance career developed through ambitious Lake Michigan swims. In 1961 he travelled from Chicago to Michigan City in 36 hours 37 minutes; further journeys reached Kenosha in 1962 and St Joseph in 1963. He then turned to the English Channel. A successful single crossing in 1964 formed the opening leg of an unfinished double attempt. In 1965 he completed the return journey in 30 hours 3 minutes, becoming the second person to swim a Channel double. His experiments with computer-assisted tidal planning show how closely he connected swimming with practical scientific questions.
Erikson later swam from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge and encouraged other Channel swimmers, including his son Jon. He was aboard the support boat when Jon completed the first triple crossing in 1981. His own marathon achievements earned Hall of Fame recognition in 1978. He died on 1 December 2021, leaving a legacy shared between swimming, teaching and scientific work.
Second swimmer to complete a Channel double · 30 hours 3 minutes
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
1964 · exact day not recorded here
England → France
Elapsed time · 12h 35m
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.
Solo swim
1965 · exact day not recorded here
England → France → England
Elapsed time · 30h 3m
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
1961 · exact day not confirmed
McCormick Place, Chicago → Michigan City, Indiana, USA
Completed the swim from McCormick Place to Michigan City.
Elapsed time · 36h 37m
Historical account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
1962 · exact day not confirmed
Chicago, Illinois → Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
Completed the Lake Michigan swim from Chicago to Kenosha.
Elapsed time · 35h 37m
Published distance · 50 miles (historical source account)
Historical account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
1961
Swam Chicago to Michigan City in 36 hours 37 minutes.
1964
Completed the opening crossing of an attempted double.
1965
Completed the return journey in 30 hours 3 minutes.
1967
Swam from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge.
1978
Inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
1981
Accompanied his son on the escort vessel during the first completed three-way Channel swim.
2022
Included in the university’s inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class.
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First recorded finish
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0 of 1 recorded
Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
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