AUSAustralia

Des Renford

19 successful Channel crossings · Australian marathon-swimming pioneer

Also recorded as Desmond Renford.

Born: 25 August 1927
Birthplace: New South Wales, Australia
Died: 30 December 1999
Professional debut: 1967, aged 39
Channel achievement: 19 successful crossings
First Australian distinction: First Australian to swim England to France, in 1970
Honour: MBE, 1976
Autobiography: Nothing Great Is Easy, published in 1992

Biography

Des Renford built an international marathon-swimming career after returning to serious distance competition in middle age. Born in New South Wales on 25 August 1927, he had won a childhood swimming championship before serving in the Royal Australian Navy. He began competing professionally in 1967, aged 39, and carried experience from Australian coastal and river races into the English Channel.

His first successful Channel swim came in 1970, when he became the first Australian to complete the England-to-France route. He ultimately accumulated 19 successful crossings. The pursuit of the King of the Channel title brought him into a celebrated rivalry with Mike Read and Kevin Murphy, turning repeated crossings into a sustained test of endurance and determination. His career also included racing on the Murray River, in Moreton Bay and in Sydney Harbour, together with a long coastal swim from Watsons Bay to Wollongong.

Renford continued contributing after his principal solo career. He joined an Australian Channel relay in 1991 and helped manage a four-way Australian relay in 1993. His autobiography, Nothing Great Is Easy, appeared in 1992. Alongside his sporting achievements, he supported community swimming and Special Olympics. He died on 30 December 1999; the swimming centre bearing his name preserves that local legacy.

Selected Channel swim records

First successful English Channel swim

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Sunday, 9 August 1970 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 13h 9m

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 · 9 August is retained as the published swim date. Separate start and finish dates, clock times and time zones are not established.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England → France

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA record 2503 confirms the route and 13:09 duration. Cashman’s historical study dates the first success to 9 August. Its note about a possibly conflated autobiography prevents treating the later narrative as an exact observer log.

Channel Swimming Association: Desmond Renford, 1970

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Australia; 1970 England-to-France crossing in 13:09.

Limitations · Public entry supplies the year, not separate start and finish dates or clocks.

Richard Cashman: Des Renford historical study, Sporting Traditions, 2023

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · First Channel swim dated 9 August 1970; archival and family-interview context.

Limitations · Footnote 12 warns that Renford’s autobiography may conflate two 1970 attempts; its clock and crew narrative is not reconstructed here.

September England-to-France crossing

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Wednesday, 11 September 1974 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 14h 2m

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 original result list gives 11 September without specifying departure or arrival. No start or finish clock was published in the inspected entry.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England → France

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

The contemporary CSA annual report lists this swim among its ratified results: Desmond Renford, 11 September, England to France, 14 hours 2 minutes. It is a separate performance from the 12:41 first leg of an August double attempt.

CSA 1974 annual report in the BLDSA annual report, PDF pages 35–36

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Ratified results list Desmond Renford on 11 September, England to France, 14:02; page 35 separately lists a 12:41 first leg on 13–14 August.

Limitations · The September date is a result-list date, not explicitly a departure or arrival date.

1978 England-to-France crossing

Ratifying body's record checked

Elapsed swim time · 12h 33m

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 · Only the year and elapsed time are verified for this selected crossing.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England → France

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA record 2609 identifies the athlete, year, one-way route and 12:33 elapsed time. The public entry does not expose an observer report or exact calendar date.

Channel Swimming Association: Desmond Renford, 1978

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · 1978 England-to-France crossing in 12:33.

Limitations · Public entry supplies the year only.

France-to-England solo

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Saturday, 22 July 1972 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 13h 30m

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 historical entry supplies a generic swim date and a seconds-formatted elapsed time ending :00; the displayed elapsed time retains CSA minute precision. Departure and arrival clocks are blank.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · France–England

Pilot / piloting team · Reg Brickell Sr

Escort vessel · Helen Ann Marie

Official observers · M. Morford

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA entry 2357 confirms the successful one-way solo and minute-precision time. CS&PF historical entry 443040 supplies the generic swim date and named crew.

CSA: Desmond Renford, 1972

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful France-to-England one-way solo in 13:30.

Limitations · Published CSA successful individual result inspected; original observer documentation was not inspected.

CS&PF historical entry: Desmond Renford, 22 July 1972

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Date, France-to-England route, 13:30:00, Reg Brickell Sr/Helen Ann Marie and M. Morford.

Limitations · Federation-hosted historical compilation; its Ratifying Organisation field reports CSA. The original observer report was not inspected, and its generic Date field does not establish departure or arrival dates.

August England-to-France solo

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Saturday, 19 August 1972 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 12h 59m

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–France

Pilot / piloting team · Reg Brickell Sr

Escort vessel · Helen Ann Marie

Official observers · P. Frayne

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA entry 2521 confirms the successful one-way solo and minute-precision time. CS&PF historical entry 443046 supplies the generic swim date and named crew.

CSA: Desmond Renford, 1972

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful England-to-France one-way solo in 12:59.

Limitations · Published CSA successful individual result inspected; original observer documentation was not inspected.

CS&PF historical entry: Desmond Renford, 19 August 1972

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Date, England-to-France route, 12:59:00, Reg Brickell Sr/Helen Ann Marie and P. Frayne.

August 1980 England-to-France solo

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Monday, 18 August 1980 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 15h 10m

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–France

Pilot / piloting team · Reg Brickell Sr

Escort vessel · Helen Ann Marie

Official observers · R.W. Brickell

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA entry 2659 confirms the successful one-way solo and minute-precision time. CS&PF historical entry 443215 supplies the generic swim date and named crew.

CSA: Desmond Renford, 1980

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful England-to-France one-way solo in 15:10.

Limitations · Published CSA successful individual result inspected; original observer documentation was not inspected.

CS&PF historical entry: Desmond Renford, 18 August 1980

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Date, England-to-France route, 15:10:00, Reg Brickell Sr/Helen Ann Marie and R.W. Brickell.

International Cross Channel Race

Ratifying body's record checked

Renford finished one minute ahead of Michael Read in the international race. Its historical entry records 11 finishers from 16 starters.

Qualification · The historical record gives 28 August 1979. A retrospective account attributed to participant Michael Read places the same race on 24 August. The selected date is a record date only.

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

Elapsed swim time · 14h 9m

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 historical record reports departure at 03:15:00 and arrival at 17:24:00. It does not give either clock a separate calendar date or time zone.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England–France

Pilot / piloting team · C. Cook

Escort vessel · Telstar

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA individual result 2645 confirms the solo and elapsed time. CS&PF entry 443199 gives the date, crew and race identification. The CSA race table also lists Renford with the same result.

Channel Swimming Association • Desmond Renford, 1979 (2645)

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Published completed one-way solo, England to France, 14:09.

Limitations · The individual result gives the year and minute-precision time. The original observer report was not inspected.

CS&PF historical record • Desmond Renford, 28 August 1979 (443199)

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · One way to France in 14:09:00, pilot C. Cook aboard Telstar, departure 03:15:00 and arrival 17:24:00. The result identifies the international race.

Limitations · The compiled individual entry names CSA as ratifying organisation. Its date field gives a swim date without separately dated departure and arrival.

Channel Swimming Association • fifth International Cross Channel Race, 1979 results

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · The race table lists Desmond Renford in 14:09 and Michael Read in 14:10 among the successful swimmers.

Limitations · The 2020 retrospective reproduces the race results without individual observer reports.

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.

August crossing aboard Fair Chance

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Friday, 8 August 1980 · Start or finish date not specified by this field

Elapsed swim time · 14h 54m

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 historical record supplies the swim date and leaves the departure and arrival clocks blank.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England–France

Pilot / piloting team · Val Noakes

Escort vessel · Fair Chance

Official observers · J. Nicholas

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA individual result 2657 confirms a completed one-way in 14:54. CS&PF entry 443213 places it on 8 August and names the support team.

Channel Swimming Association • Desmond Renford, 1980 (2657)

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Published completed one-way solo, England to France, 14:54.

Limitations · The individual result gives the year and minute-precision time. The original observer report was not inspected.

CS&PF historical record • Desmond Renford, 8 August 1980 (443213)

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · 14:54:00 England–France one-way, Val Noakes aboard Fair Chance, observer J. Nicholas.

Limitations · The compiled individual entry names CSA as ratifying organisation. Its date field gives a swim date without separately dated departure and arrival.

Other events & swims

Murray River marathon

Open-water swimming · Race

1969 · exact day not confirmed

Murray River, Australia

Won the 65 km marathon, identified in his Hall of Fame profile as his first marathon victory.

Published distance · 65 km

Placing / category · 1st overall

Historical account checked

How this event was checked

Sport Australia Hall of Fame, paragraph on his early professional career, supplies year, distance and victory; the same profile documents his Channel crossings. Original race sheet not inspected.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame: Des Renford

Checked 2026-10-31

Limitations · Historical career account; exact event days and original result sheets not supplied.

Watson’s Bay to North Wollongong

Open-water swimming · Solo swim

1974 · exact day not confirmed

Watson’s Bay, Sydney Harbour → North Wollongong Harbour, Australia

Completed the coastal swim described by the Hall of Fame as unassisted.

Elapsed time · 27h 29m

Published distance · 93 km (historical source account)

Historical account checked

How this event was checked

Sport Australia Hall of Fame, 1973–1974 paragraph, supplies endpoints, year, 93 km and 27:29. This historical account does not supply a day or original observer report.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame: Des Renford

Checked 2026-10-31

Limitations · Historical career account; exact event days and original result sheets not supplied.

Career milestones

Early swimming success

1937

Won a 55-yard childhood championship.

Professional marathon swimmer

1967

Began competing professionally at the age of 39.

First Channel success

9 August 1970

Completed an England-to-France swim in 13 hours 9 minutes.

King of the Channel

1975

Took the title during his campaign of repeated crossings.

Australian relay team

1991

Swam as a member of the first all-Australian cross-Channel relay team.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame

26 November 1998

Inducted in recognition of his long-distance swimming career.

A lasting swimming legacy

1 March 2000

Heffron Pool was renamed in his honour.

Successful crossings in both directions

1972

Separate solos ran from France to England on 22 July and England to France on 19 August, in 13:30 and 12:59 respectively.

Recordings & media

1979 AVRO documentary with a Des Renford interview

Open media page

Archival footage

The Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision catalogue identifies a Renford interview in AVRO’s Sportpanorama episode on Channel swimming, broadcast 26 October 1979. The programme principally follows Ton Brouwer; it is not presented as footage of Renford’s selected swims. Catalogue checked; full playback was not verified.

Link checked 2026-10-31

English Channel questions

Which English Channel swims are included for Des Renford?: This profile includes 8 selected solo performances for Des Renford. It is a selected history, not a complete career total. A continuous multi-way swim counts as one performance.
When was Des Renford’s featured English Channel swim?: The featured swim is recorded on Sunday, 9 August 1970. The source does not establish whether that date means departure or arrival.
How long did Des Renford’s featured Channel swim take?: The featured solo crossing has a published elapsed time of 13 hours and 9 minutes.

Biography sources

Reviewed sources

International Swimming Hall of Fame: Desmond Renford

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Australian nationality, career, 1992 book and pool naming.

Limitations · Retrospective biography contains unrelated historical errors and simplifies unsuccessful multiway attempts; no timing log.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame: Des Renford

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Birth and death dates, Navy service, professional debut, Australian swimming and honours.

Limitations · Some dates and distances differ from other biographies; contested domestic metrics are not used. Historical career account; exact event days and original result sheets not supplied.

Channel Swimming Association: Desmond Renford, 1970

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Australia; 1970 England-to-France crossing in 13:09.

Limitations · Public entry supplies the year, not separate start and finish dates or clocks.

Richard Cashman: Des Renford historical study, Sporting Traditions, 2023

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · First Channel swim dated 9 August 1970; archival and family-interview context.

Limitations · Footnote 12 warns that Renford’s autobiography may conflate two 1970 attempts; its clock and crew narrative is not reconstructed here.

Randwick City Council: About Des Renford Leisure Centre

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Community legacy, support for Special Olympics and the centre bearing his name.

CSA 1974 annual report in the BLDSA annual report, PDF pages 35–36

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Ratified results list Desmond Renford on 11 September, England to France, 14:02; page 35 separately lists a 12:41 first leg on 13–14 August.

Limitations · The September date is a result-list date, not explicitly a departure or arrival date.

Channel Swimming Association: Desmond Renford, 1978

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · 1978 England-to-France crossing in 12:33.

Limitations · Public entry supplies the year only.

CSA: Desmond Renford, 1972

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful France-to-England one-way solo in 13:30.

Limitations · Published CSA successful individual result inspected; original observer documentation was not inspected.

CS&PF historical entry: Desmond Renford, 22 July 1972

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Date, France-to-England route, 13:30:00, Reg Brickell Sr/Helen Ann Marie and M. Morford.

CSA: Desmond Renford, 1972

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful England-to-France one-way solo in 12:59.

Limitations · Published CSA successful individual result inspected; original observer documentation was not inspected.

CS&PF historical entry: Desmond Renford, 19 August 1972

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Date, England-to-France route, 12:59:00, Reg Brickell Sr/Helen Ann Marie and P. Frayne.

CSA: Desmond Renford, 1980

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful England-to-France one-way solo in 15:10.

Limitations · Published CSA successful individual result inspected; original observer documentation was not inspected.

CS&PF historical entry: Desmond Renford, 18 August 1980

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Date, England-to-France route, 15:10:00, Reg Brickell Sr/Helen Ann Marie and R.W. Brickell.

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

Open source

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.

Channel Swimming Association • Desmond Renford, 1979 (2645)

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Published completed one-way solo, England to France, 14:09.

Limitations · The individual result gives the year and minute-precision time. The original observer report was not inspected.

CS&PF historical record • Desmond Renford, 28 August 1979 (443199)

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · One way to France in 14:09:00, pilot C. Cook aboard Telstar, departure 03:15:00 and arrival 17:24:00. The result identifies the international race.

Limitations · The compiled individual entry names CSA as ratifying organisation. Its date field gives a swim date without separately dated departure and arrival.

Channel Swimming Association • fifth International Cross Channel Race, 1979 results

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · The race table lists Desmond Renford in 14:09 and Michael Read in 14:10 among the successful swimmers.

Limitations · The 2020 retrospective reproduces the race results without individual observer reports.

Channel Swimming Association • Desmond Renford, 1980 (2657)

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Published completed one-way solo, England to France, 14:54.

Limitations · The individual result gives the year and minute-precision time. The original observer report was not inspected.

CS&PF historical record • Desmond Renford, 8 August 1980 (443213)

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · 14:54:00 England–France one-way, Val Noakes aboard Fair Chance, observer J. Nicholas.

Limitations · The compiled individual entry names CSA as ratifying organisation. Its date field gives a swim date without separately dated departure and arrival.

Latest source review 2026-10-31.