TURTurkey

Ersin Aydın

Two separate Channel solos, France to England in 1975 and England to France in 1977

Also recorded as Ersin Aydin.

Nationality: Turkey, as recorded by the Channel Swimming Association
Birthplace and year: Adana, 1947
First swimming club: Adana Demirspor
Galatasaray: Joined in 1964 and later coached at the club
Channel directions: France to England in 1975 and England to France in 1977
Published work: Yüzme, 1976
Hall of fame: International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, class of 1979

Biography

Ersin Aydın learned to swim in irrigation canals in Adana, where he was born in 1947. He began club swimming with Adana Demirspor at twelve and joined Galatasaray in 1964. As a Turkish national swimmer he competed in distance races at home and overseas. Galatasaray records an early success at the Çanakkale marathon and ninth place in a field of 36 at the international Nile marathon, where he swam for 10 hours 55 minutes.

Aydın crossed the English Channel in each direction on separate visits. In August 1975 he swam from France to England in 16 hours 40 minutes with J. Heath piloting Opportunity. Two years later he swam from England to France in 13 hours 40 minutes, escorted by Fred Mardle aboard Joan of Arc. Between the two swims, in 1976, he published a book on swimming titled Yüzme.

His career also took him to the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. He coached at Galatasaray as well as swimming for the club. The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inducted him as an Honor Swimmer from Türkiye in 1979, the year he retired from professional competition.

Selected Channel swim records

France-to-England Channel crossing

Ratification reported by source

Recorded swim date · Monday, 18 August 1975 · Start or finish date not specified by this field

Elapsed swim time · 16h 40m 0s

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 · France to England

Pilot / piloting team · J. Heath

Escort vessel · Opportunity

Official observers · M. Morford

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CS&PF historical entry 443089 identifies Ersin Aydin of Turkey and gives a one-way France-to-England swim in 16:40:00 on its 18 August record date. It reports CSA ratification and names J. Heath, Opportunity and M. Morford. Galatasaray, IMSHOF and Dover corroborate the completion to minute precision.

Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation · Aydın, 1975

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Historical entry 443089. France to England in 16:40:00, with the CSA named as ratifying organisation.

Galatasaray Sports Club · Ersin Aydın

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Club biography covering his sporting education, Nile race, two Channel crossings and book.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame · Ersin Aydin

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Bilingual honouree biography, 1979 class, both Channel swims, wider routes and the hall’s account of his Cyprus swim.

Dover Channel Swimming · 18 August 1975

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Corroborates the successful France-to-England solo, nationality, date, elapsed time and CSA attribution.

England-to-France Channel crossing

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Wednesday, 7 September 1977 · Start or finish date not specified by this field

Elapsed swim time · 13h 40m

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 · Fred Mardle

Escort vessel · Joan of Arc

Official observers · M. Orford

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

CSA successful-swim entry 2597 names Ersin Aydin of Turkey, lists a completed one-way England-to-France solo in 1977 and gives 13:40. CS&PF entry 443144 supplies the generic 7 September record date, Fred Mardle, Joan of Arc and observer M. Orford.

Channel Swimming Association · Ersin Aydin, 1977

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Turkey, one-way solo from England to France, 13:40.

Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation · Aydın, 1977

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Historical entry 443144 gives the generic record date, pilot, boat and observer.

Galatasaray Sports Club · Ersin Aydın

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Club biography covering his sporting education, Nile race, two Channel crossings and book.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame · Ersin Aydin

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Bilingual honouree biography, 1979 class, both Channel swims, wider routes and the hall’s account of his Cyprus swim.

Career milestones

Joined Galatasaray

1964

Transferred from Adana Demirspor to Galatasaray.

France-to-England crossing

1975-08

Completed a one-way Channel swim in 16 hours 40 minutes.

Yüzme published

1976

His book on swimming appeared between his two Channel crossings.

England-to-France crossing

1977-09

Completed the reverse direction in 13 hours 40 minutes.

Honoured by the marathon swimming hall of fame

1979

Recognised as an Honor Swimmer from Türkiye and retired from professional competition that year.

Recordings & media

No reviewed recording is available for this entry.

English Channel questions

Which English Channel swims are included for Ersin Aydın?: The profile includes 2 selected solo performances. A continuous multi-way swim counts as one performance.
When was the first listed Channel swim?: The recorded swim date is Monday, 18 August 1975. Departure and completion dates are unconfirmed.
How long did that swim take?: The recorded 1-way solo time is 16h 40m 0s.

Biography sources

Reviewed sources

Galatasaray Sports Club · Ersin Aydın

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Club biography covering his sporting education, Nile race, two Channel crossings and book.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame · Ersin Aydin

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Bilingual honouree biography, 1979 class, both Channel swims, wider routes and the hall’s account of his Cyprus swim.

Anadolu Agency · profile of Ersin Aydın

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Original reporting with his daughter. Gives Adana, 1947, early swimming, coaching and retirement from professional competition.

Channel Swimming Association · Ersin Aydin, 1977

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Turkey, one-way solo from England to France, 13:40.

Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation · Aydın, 1975

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Historical entry 443089. France to England in 16:40:00, with the CSA named as ratifying organisation.

Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation · Aydın, 1977

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Historical entry 443144 gives the generic record date, pilot, boat and observer.

Dover Channel Swimming · 18 August 1975

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Corroborates the successful France-to-England solo, nationality, date, elapsed time and CSA attribution.

Latest source review 2026-10-31.