INDIndia

Rupali Repale

Channel completion at twelve · CSA youngest successful swimmer, 1994

Also recorded as Rupali Ramdas Repale.

Recorded nationality: India — Channel Swimming Association
Full source name: Rupali Ramdas Repale
Age at Channel swim: 12 — historical federation record
Channel elapsed time: 16 hours 7 minutes · 1994
CSA award: Youngest successful swimmer · 1994
Coaching role: Founder and partner, Rupali Repale Swimming Academy

Biography

Rupali Repale is an Indian Channel swimmer and swimming coach, recorded by the Channel Swimming Association under the name Rupali Ramdas Repale. She completed an England-to-France crossing on 15 August 1994 in 16 hours 7 minutes. The historical federation record gives her age as twelve, while the CSA’s own successful-swim page confirms both the completion and its youngest successful swimmer award for that year.

Her crossing was accompanied by pilot Michael Oram aboard Aegean Blue, with K. Coombes and N. Trusty recorded as observers. An Indian swimming statistical bulletin also includes the performance, identifying Maharashtra and the same direction and elapsed time.

Repale later developed a career in coaching and multisport. Her academy biography describes representing India in Asian triathlon competition and lists national youth and adventure awards. It also records swimming-coach training at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala and qualifications through the American Swimming Coaches Association and World Triathlon.

As founder and partner of the Rupali Repale Swimming Academy, she has worked on swimming instruction, school programmes and water-safety education. The academy marked its tenth year in 2024, connecting her experience as a young endurance swimmer with teaching subsequent generations.

Selected Channel swim records

Channel crossing at age twelve

Ratifying body's record checked

Recorded swim date · Monday, 15 August 1994 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 16h 7m

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 · Michael Oram

Escort vessel · Aegean Blue

Official observers · K. Coombes / N. Trusty

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association

How this record was checked

Inspected CSA successful-swim entry 2942: Rupali Ramdas Repale, India, Solo 1 way, England to France, completed 1994, 16:07. CS&PF historical entry 443594 supplies the generic 15 August date, age and crew. The CSA 1994 award page independently links her youngest-successful-swimmer award to entry 2942.

Channel Swimming Association: Rupali Ramdas Repale, 1994

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful one-way entry, India, 16:07 and 1994 youngest-successful-swimmer award.

CS&PF historical record: Rupali Repale, 1994

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · 15 August 1994, age 12, nationality India, CSA attribution and accompanying crew.

Channel Swimming Association: 1994 youngest successful swimmer

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · The 1994 award row names Rupali Ramdas Repale and links to successful-swim entry 2942.

Career milestones

Channel completion at twelve

Monday, 15 August 1994

Completed England to France in 16 hours 7 minutes.

CSA youngest successful swimmer

1994

Named in the association’s award record for the year.

Academy’s tenth year

2024

The academy’s own history marks ten years of swimming instruction.

Recordings & media

No reviewed recording is available for this entry.

English Channel questions

Which English Channel swims are included for Rupali Repale?: This profile includes 1 selected solo performance for Rupali Repale. It is a selected history, not a complete career total. A continuous multi-way swim counts as one performance.
When was Rupali Repale’s featured English Channel swim?: The featured swim is recorded on Monday, 15 August 1994. The source does not establish whether that date means departure or arrival.
How long did Rupali Repale’s featured Channel swim take?: The featured solo crossing has a published elapsed time of 16 hours and 7 minutes.

Biography sources

Reviewed sources

Channel Swimming Association: Rupali Ramdas Repale, 1994

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Successful one-way entry, India, 16:07 and 1994 youngest-successful-swimmer award.

CS&PF historical record: Rupali Repale, 1994

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · 15 August 1994, age 12, nationality India, CSA attribution and accompanying crew.

Rupali Repale Swimming Academy: founder profile

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Actual athlete/coach biography: founder role, national awards, triathlon, coaching qualifications and academy programmes.

Limitations · Self-published career summary; undated award claims are not assigned invented award years.

Dover Channel Swimming: Rupali Ramdas Repale athlete profile

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Identifies the athlete as Indian and lists the 1994 crossing.

Channel Swimming Association: 1994 youngest successful swimmer

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · The 1994 award row names Rupali Ramdas Repale and links to successful-swim entry 2942.

India Swimming Statistical Bulletin 2024: Indian English Channel swimmers

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Printed page C50, row 25: Rupali Repale, Maharashtra, 1994, England–France, 16:07.

Limitations · Independent compilation; the CSA entry is the ratifier evidence.

Latest source review 2026-10-31.