INDIndia

Taranath Narayan Shenoy

Three Channel crossings · Triple Crown swimmer

Also recorded as Taranath Shenoy.

Nationality: Indian
Successful Channel crossings: Three, in 1983, 1984 and 1985
Channel directions: One France → England; two England → France
Fastest Channel crossing: 10 hours 42 minutes, 7 September 1985
Open-water distinction: Triple Crown: English Channel, Catalina Channel and Manhattan
Hall of Fame: International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, 1987
CSA recognition: Special Award to an Impaired Swimmer, 1985
Later contribution: Coach and National Deaf Swimming Championship organiser

Biography

Taranath Narayan Shenoy is an Indian marathon swimmer whose career spans three English Channel crossings, the Catalina Channel and swims around Manhattan. Deaf and partially sighted, he communicated with his support teams using signs and built an international swimming career across several very different bodies of water.

His first successful Channel swim came on 18 August 1983, from France to England in 10 hours and 54 minutes. He returned in 1984 to swim in the opposite direction, then completed another England-to-France crossing in September 1985. The third swim, his fastest recorded Channel crossing, took 10 hours and 42 minutes. Ray Dixon piloted the escort and I. Muir observed that attempt.

Shenoy extended his international programme to California in 1987, completing Catalina in 10 hours and 15 minutes with coach Ninod Gurujee accompanying him. He also finished swims around Manhattan in 1987 and 1989. These achievements placed him among the early swimmers to complete the English Channel, Catalina and Manhattan combination now celebrated as the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1987, Shenoy later contributed as a coach and organiser. At the 2012 National Deaf Swimming Championship he described his continued enthusiasm for helping swimmers develop, including coaching his son.

Selected Channel swim records

First successful Channel crossing

Published account checked

Recorded swim date · Thursday, 18 August 1983 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 10h 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 · Date is the published swim date. Exact departure and arrival clock times are not available.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · France → England

Ratification / historical recognition · CSA is identified by the published Dover record

How this record was checked

Dover’s individual record supplies date, direction and duration. The athlete profile lists three successful solos. No original observer record or direct individual CSA entry for this swim was inspected.

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy, 18 August 1983

Checked 2026-10-31

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy athlete record

Checked 2026-10-31

England-to-France crossing, 1984

Published account checked

Recorded swim date · Sunday, 19 August 1984 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 10h 55m

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 · Published swim date only; no start or finish clock has been inferred.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England → France

Ratification / historical recognition · CSA is identified by the published Dover record

How this record was checked

The individual Dover record confirms the date, England-to-France route and 10:55. No original observation paperwork or direct individual CSA entry was inspected.

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy, 19 August 1984

Checked 2026-10-31

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy athlete record

Checked 2026-10-31

Third successful Channel crossing

Ratification reported by source

Recorded swim date · Saturday, 7 September 1985 · Start or finish date not specified by the source

Elapsed swim time · 10h 42m

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 published record gives 7 September and 10:42:00 but leaves departure and arrival clocks blank. Duration is displayed to the minute, without treating zero seconds as extra measurement precision.

Format · Solo · 1-way

Direction · England → France

Pilot / piloting team · Ray Dixon

Escort vessel · Chennel Express (spelling in the published record)

Official observers · I. Muir

Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association, as named in CS&PF’s historical record

How this record was checked

CS&PF individual historical record 443335 was inspected. It names CSA as ratifying organisation and supplies the pilot, boat and observer. This is a published report of CSA ratification, not inspection of CSA’s original signed log.

CS&PF published historical record: Taranath Narayan Shenoy, 7 September 1985

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Shenoy’s 7 September 1985 solo, country, direction, duration, pilot, vessel, observer and reported CSA ratification.

Limitations · Historical record hosted by CS&PF names CSA as ratifier. Original CSA log not inspected; start/finish clocks are blank. Vessel spelling retained as published.

Other events & swims

Catalina Channel

Open-water swimming · Solo swim

Friday, 25 September 1987 (start)

Catalina Channel, California, USA

Completed a solo Catalina Channel crossing.

Elapsed time · 10h 15m

Historical account checked

How this event was checked

CCSF history PDF page 50 identifies the Indian Channel swimmer and reports his departure date and duration. The original observer log was not inspected.

Catalina Channel Swimming Federation: Penny Lee Dean history, PDF page 50

Checked 2026-10-31

Limitations · Historical narrative, not the original observer report.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame: Triple Crown

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Shenoy identity bridge across Channel, Catalina and Manhattan.

Manhattan Island Marathon Swim

Open-water swimming · Race

Sunday, 9 August 1987 (event date)

Manhattan, New York, USA

Completed the counter-clockwise race around Manhattan.

Elapsed time · 8h 21m 9s

Placing / category · 16th overall

Published account checked

How this event was checked

NYOW row 135; full name and India match the IMSHOF Triple Crown career bridge. Historical sanction column is blank.

New York Open Water: historical Manhattan results

Checked 2026-10-31

Limitations · Retrospective table; selected historical rows have no sanctioning-body entry.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame: Triple Crown

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Shenoy identity bridge across Channel, Catalina and Manhattan.

Career milestones

First Channel completion

Thursday, 18 August 1983

Swam France-to-England in 10 hours 54 minutes.

Channel in the reverse direction

Sunday, 19 August 1984

Completed England-to-France in 10 hours 55 minutes.

Third and fastest Channel crossing

Saturday, 7 September 1985

Completed England-to-France in 10 hours 42 minutes.

Manhattan swim

Sunday, 9 August 1987

Finished the circumnavigation in 8 hours 21 minutes 9 seconds.

Catalina and Hall of Fame

1987

Completed Catalina in 10 hours 15 minutes and was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.

Return to Manhattan

Saturday, 19 August 1989

Recorded another finish in 8 hours 29 minutes 24 seconds.

Coaching and organising

2012

Worked at the National Deaf Swimming Championship as organiser and coach.

Recordings & media

No reviewed recording is available for this entry.

English Channel questions

Which English Channel swims are included for Taranath Narayan Shenoy?: This profile includes 3 selected solo performances for Taranath Narayan Shenoy. It is a selected history, not a complete career total. A continuous multi-way swim counts as one performance.
When was Taranath Narayan Shenoy’s featured English Channel swim?: The featured swim is recorded on Thursday, 18 August 1983. The source does not establish whether that date means departure or arrival.
How long did Taranath Narayan Shenoy’s featured Channel swim take?: The featured solo crossing has a published elapsed time of 10 hours and 54 minutes.

Biography sources

Reviewed sources

CS&PF published historical record: Taranath Narayan Shenoy, 7 September 1985

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Shenoy’s 7 September 1985 solo, country, direction, duration, pilot, vessel, observer and reported CSA ratification.

Limitations · Historical record hosted by CS&PF names CSA as ratifier. Original CSA log not inspected; start/finish clocks are blank. Vessel spelling retained as published.

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy, 18 August 1983

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy, 19 August 1984

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Dover.uk.com: Taranath Shenoy athlete record

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame: induction years

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame: Triple Crown

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Shenoy identity bridge across Channel, Catalina and Manhattan.

Catalina Channel Swimming Federation: Penny Lee Dean’s history, pages 48–49

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Limitations · Historical narrative, not the original observer report.

New York Open Water: historical Manhattan swim results

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Supports · Shenoy’s individual results of 9 August 1987 and 19 August 1989.

Limitations · Selected historical results only; no bulk table reproduction. Retrospective table; selected historical rows have no sanctioning-body entry.

The Times of India: interview with Taranath Shenoy, 5 February 2012

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Channel Swimming Association: special award, Taranath Shenoy, 1985

Open source

Checked 2026-10-31

Latest source review 2026-10-31.