RSASouth Africa

Cameron Bellamy

2012 Channel solo · Oceans Seven completed in 2018

Nationality: South Africa — CS&PF solo-swimmer entry
Upbringing: Cape Town
Charitable work: Founder of the Ubunye Challenge, established in 2011
Selected Channel performance: 2012 solo · 16:29:10; source dates differ
Oceans Seven: Completed in 2018
Hall of Fame: IMSHOF Honor Swimmer, Class of 2020

Biography

Cameron Bellamy is a South African endurance swimmer whose English Channel crossing became the opening stage of a six-year Oceans Seven journey. He grew up in Cape Town and founded the Ubunye Challenge in 2011. The charity connects endurance challenges with educational projects, particularly early childhood education in rural South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The CS&PF successful-swims register lists his 2012 Channel solo in 16 hours 29 minutes 10 seconds, escorted by Paul Foreman aboard Pace Arrow. It dates the performance 4 July, while a later career summary gives 5 July; those accounts are retained without assuming that they describe different phases of the swim. Bellamy subsequently completed the Catalina Channel and Strait of Gibraltar in 2015, the North Channel in 2016 and the Kaiwi Channel in 2017. The Cook and Tsugaru crossings completed his Oceans Seven in 2018.

That year he returned to Barbados after an unsuccessful attempt and completed a swim around the island in November. A Barbados-to-Saint Lucia swim followed in 2019, extending his endurance career beyond the standard channel challenges. His adventures also include ocean rowing, notably the December 2019 Drake Passage expedition. The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame recognises him in its Class of 2020.

Selected Channel swim records

English Channel solo

Sources disagree

CS&PF lists 4 July; a later career summary says 5 July. Separate committee ratification has not been confirmed.

Recorded swim date · Wednesday, 4 July 2012 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 16h 29m 10s

Duration of the complete swim

Started · Exact start date not confirmed · Clock time not confirmed

Finished · Exact finish date not confirmed · Clock time not confirmed

Timing note · The CS&PF date is retained as a record date. Skybound's 2020 English Channel summary gives 5 July 2012 and 16 hours 29 minutes. Neither account establishes departure or arrival, so no clock or phase date is inferred.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · Not recorded here

Pilot / piloting team · Paul Foreman

Escort vessel · Pace Arrow

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation

How this record was checked

Inspected CS&PF 2012, Solo Swims table, second named row: Cameron Bellamy, 4th July, Paul Foreman / Pace Arrow, 16:29:10. The federation-hosted solo index identifies Bellamy as South African with a 2012 swim. The annual page's committee-ratification disclaimer prevents treating this row alone as a checked ratification. Skybound's English Channel subsection gives an unresolved alternative date.

CS&PF: successful swims, 2012

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Solo Swims table, Cameron Bellamy row dated 4th July: 16:29:10; Paul Foreman / Pace Arrow.

Limitations · The page says times and results remain unofficial until committee ratification; no separate committee decision was inspected.

CS&PF: Solo Swimmers, Cameron Bellamy

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Bellamy, Cameron row: South Africa, one swim, 2012.

Limitations · Federation-hosted compilation by Julian Critchlow; not an original observer report.

Skybound Capital: Interview with Cameron Bellamy

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Career summary dated 10 June 2020, charity founded in 2011, 2019 endurance swims and rowing; English Channel section reports 5 July 2012 and 16 hours 29 minutes.

Limitations · Its Channel date differs from CS&PF's 4 July row; the summary does not identify departure versus completion.

Career milestones

Ubunye Challenge founded

2011

Established the charity associated with his endurance fundraising.

English Channel solo

2012

CS&PF records 16:29:10; the source-date discrepancy is retained in the crossing.

Oceans Seven completed

2018

The Cook and Tsugaru crossings completed his seven-channel progression.

Around Barbados

November 2018

Completed the island circumnavigation after an earlier unsuccessful attempt.

Barbados to Saint Lucia

2019

Completed a further long sea swim between the two Caribbean islands.

Hall of Fame class

2020

Named an IMSHOF Honor Swimmer.

Recordings & media

Cameron Bellamy — Hall of Fame biography

Open media page

Athlete media

External IMSHOF athlete biography in PDF format.

Link checked 2026-10-31

English Channel questions

Which English Channel swims are included for Cameron Bellamy?: This profile includes 1 selected solo performance for Cameron Bellamy. It is a selected history, not a complete career total. A continuous multi-way swim counts as one performance.
When was Cameron Bellamy’s featured English Channel swim?: The featured swim is recorded on Wednesday, 4 July 2012. The source does not establish whether that date means departure or arrival. Conflicting details are identified in the crossing record.
How long did Cameron Bellamy’s featured Channel swim take?: The featured solo crossing has a published elapsed time of 16 hours, 29 minutes and 10 seconds. CS&PF lists 4 July; a later career summary says 5 July. Separate committee ratification has not been confirmed.

Skybound Capital: Interview with Cameron Bellamy

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Career summary dated 10 June 2020, charity founded in 2011, 2019 endurance swims and rowing; English Channel section reports 5 July 2012 and 16 hours 29 minutes.

Limitations · Its Channel date differs from CS&PF's 4 July row; the summary does not identify departure versus completion.

Latest source review 2026-10-31.