ARGArgentina

Claudio Plit

Won the 1981 international Channel race in 8 hours 58 minutes

Nationality: Argentina, as recorded by the Channel Swimming Association
Born: 7 November 1954 in Rosario
Early swimming: Paraná River
1979 international Channel race: Second overall in 9 hours 45 minutes
1981 international Channel race: Winner in 8 hours 58 minutes
Quebec competition: Five Lac Saint-Jean victories
Channel coaching: Fundación Konex credits him with 25 successful swimmers between 1993 and 2009

Biography

Claudio Plit grew up swimming in the Paraná River at Rosario. Three consecutive national long-distance championships took him from Argentine competition to the Nile marathon in Egypt in 1973. He went on to race for three decades. In July 1979 he won the Capri-to-Naples marathon in 7 hours 40 minutes 41 seconds. That summer he also swam in an international race across the English Channel, finishing second to John Kinsella in 9 hours 45 minutes.

Plit returned to the Channel race in 1981 and won in 8 hours 58 minutes. The Channel Swimming Association recognised it as the fastest swim by a man that year. He also won five editions of the Lac Saint-Jean crossing in Quebec, where his rivalry with New Zealand swimmer Philip Rush lasted a decade. The International Swimming Hall of Fame credits him with four Capri-to-Naples victories across the 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1986 editions.

After competing, Plit coached professional swimmers and directed international open-water races in Argentina. Fundación Konex, which honoured him in 1990, credits him with coaching 25 swimmers who crossed the English Channel between 1993 and 2009.

Selected Channel swim records

Second in the international Channel race

Sources disagree

Plit placed second behind John Kinsella in the international field.

Qualification · CS&PF records 28 August. Michael Read’s race recollection gives 24 August. The CSA confirms the 9:45 completion.

Recorded swim date · Tuesday, 28 August 1979 · Start or finish date not specified by this field

Elapsed swim time · 9h 45m

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 · CS&PF lists departure at 03:15:00 and arrival at 13:00:00. Its 28 August date is a generic record date. The retrospective race account gives 24 August. Neither phase has an independently confirmed date.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England to France

Pilot / piloting team · C. Heath

Escort vessel · Good Heart

Official observers · K. Pugh

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

Conditions · The CSA describes a calm start to the race, with conditions later building to SW4.

How this record was checked

CSA successful-swim entry 2639 identifies Claudio Plit of Argentina and gives a one-way England-to-France solo in 09:45. CS&PF entry 443193 supplies 28 August and the crew. The CSA’s 1979 race table places him second. WOWSA’s race history attributes a 24 August date to participant Michael Read.

Channel Swimming Association · Claudio Plit, 1979

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Argentina, one-way England-to-France solo, 09:45.

Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation · Plit, 1979

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Historical entry 443193 supplies the record date, clocks, pilot, vessel, observer and race context.

Channel Swimming Association · 1979 international race results

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · The retrospective’s 1979 results table places Plit second behind Kinsella. It also describes race conditions.

World Open Water Swimming Association · Channel races of the 1970s and 1980s

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Account drawing on participants Claudio Plit, Michael Read and Sue Guesdon. Gives the race placings and Read’s alternative 1979 race date.

International Channel race victory

Ratifying body's record checked

Plit won the 1981 race. The CSA awarded him its fastest swim by a man title for that year.

Recorded swim date · Monday, 24 August 1981 · Start or finish date not specified by this field

Elapsed swim time · 8h 58m

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

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England to France

Pilot / piloting team · B. Wellard

Escort vessel · Polly T

Official observers · A. Ayres

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA successful-swim entry 2673 records Claudio Plit, Argentina, one way from England to France in 08:58 and the annual award. CS&PF entry 443238 gives a generic date of 24 August and the crew. The 1981 race table in the participant-based WOWSA history lists Plit first.

Channel Swimming Association · Claudio Plit, 1981

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Argentina, one-way England-to-France solo, 08:58 and the annual fastest swim by a man award.

Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation · Plit, 1981

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Historical entry 443238 supplies the record date, pilot, vessel and observer.

World Open Water Swimming Association · Channel races of the 1970s and 1980s

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Account drawing on participants Claudio Plit, Michael Read and Sue Guesdon. Gives the race placings and Read’s alternative 1979 race date.

Other events & swims

Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli

Open-water swimming · Race

Sunday, 8 July 1979 (event date)

Italy

Won the 1979 edition

Placing / category · 1st overall and 1st man

Published elapsed time · 7h 40m 41s

Published account checked

How this event was checked

The organiser’s table for 8 July 1979 places Claudio Plit of Argentina first overall and first among men in 7h 40m 41s.

Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli · 1979 results

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Organiser’s 8 July 1979 overall table. Claudio Plit of Argentina is first in 7h 40m 41s.

Career milestones

First international racing trip

1973

Competed in the Nile marathon after winning three consecutive national long-distance titles.

Capri-to-Naples victory

1979-07-08

The organiser lists him first overall in 7 hours 40 minutes 41 seconds.

Second in the international Channel race

1979-08

Finished behind John Kinsella in 9 hours 45 minutes. The exact race day is disputed.

International Channel race winner

1981-08

Won the race and earned the CSA’s fastest swim by a man award.

Premio Konex

1990

Fundación Konex recognised his swimming career.

Channel coaching through 2009

2009

Fundación Konex credits him with coaching 25 swimmers who crossed the Channel between 1993 and 2009.

Recordings & media

No reviewed recording is available for this entry.

English Channel questions

Which English Channel swims are included for Claudio Plit?: This profile includes 2 selected solo performances. A continuous multi-way crossing counts as one performance.
When was Claudio Plit’s first listed Channel swim?: The recorded swim date is Tuesday, 28 August 1979. Departure and arrival dates are unconfirmed.
How long did the first listed swim take?: The recorded 1-way solo lasted 9h 45m. Published race dates differ between 24 and 28 August 1979. The recorded 9h 45m and second place agree.

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Organiser’s 8 July 1979 overall table. Claudio Plit of Argentina is first in 7h 40m 41s.

Latest source review 2026-10-31.