CROSSCHANNEL RACE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26503, 18 August 1951, Page 7

CROSSCHANNEL RACE

EGYPTIAN SWIMMER FINISHES FIRST

LONDON, August 16. A 34-year-old Egyptian swimmer, Mareeh Hassan Hamad, won the £lOOO first prize in the “Daily Mail’s” cross-Channel swim to-night when he hauled himself from the water at Shakespeare Cliff, near Dover. The second—only one minute behind—was a Frenchman, Roger le Morvan. An English stenographer, Brenda Fisher, won the £lOOO prize for the first woman in the race after a record-breaking swim lasting 12hr 43min. She beat the previous women’s cross-Channel record of 13hr 23min. made last year by Miss Florence Chadwick.

Hamad’s winning time was 12hr 12min.

Le Morvan, who had refused to give up in spite of several attacks of seasickness, touched land three miles to the east after swimming for 12hr 13min.

Brenda Fisher became the first British representative when she finished third. Fourth was 21-year-old Godfrey Chapman—the youngest competitor in the race. His time was 12hr 56min. Eileen Fenton, the first woman home in list year's race, had to be pulled from the water outride Dover Harbour. She was very tired and was being carried swiftly by the tide.

The winner. Hamad, was third in last year’s race.

• The oldest comnetitor was a 54-year-old Scot, William Barnie. He swam in tartan shorts with a sprig of white heather in his cap, and he

was cheered on his way by the strains of Scottish a rs played on a moutn organ hv his trainer. A 23 vear-old Welsh girl. Jennv Jam-s. who gave up her job as a » saleswoman to train for the event, was aided by her supporters in launches singing Welsh patriotic bai lads.