The Channel Swimming Association Ltd
Annual Dinner 2008

 

On Saturday, 1st November 2008 the Channel Swimming Association held its Annual Dinner and award ceremony in the splendid surroundings of Dover Town Hall.  The gathering was presided over by the Associations President, King of the Channel® Michael Read and the Mayor of Dover, Mrs Diane Smallwood.

140 guests from around the world attended the evening to celebrate the Associations 81st year of helping Channel swimmers achieve their dream and the 50th Anniversary of Montserrat Tresserras' 1958 swim.  The Mayor thanked the Association for its contribution to world sport as the governing body of Channel swimming and for the contribution the sport makes to the town of Dover and the surrounding area. 

Chairman, Mrs Joan Metcalfe said that the weather had been very disappointing this year and she congratulated the 29 solo swimmers and 9 relay teams on their remarkable achievements.  She also congratulated those swimmers who had made an attempt, but who, on this occasion were unsuccessful and she hoped to see them again next year.  She also expressed her pleasure at the success of Frenchman Arnaud Chassery.  Guest Stuart Richardson, spoke briefly of his role as the Dover Lifeboat Coxswain.

Amongst the guests and celebrating the 53rd anniversary of his swim, was former world record holder Bill Pickering who broke Florence Chadwick's record in 1955 and John Wrapson, who managed the Royal Tunbridge Wells Monson SC relay in 1968, this is still the youngest team of 6 swimmers ever to cross the Channel, average age 12 years and 130 days.  Giving the Association a more youthful feel, it was very pleased to welcome Dover's Port of Kent Carnival Queen who was also invited to present some of the awards and who expressed an interest in becoming a CSA Observer in 2009.

The Association has been working with the authorities in Tunisia for a number of years to stimulate marathon swimming in that area and President Michael Read was pleased to read out a letter he had just received from the President of Tunisia. He also welcomed a delegation from Tunisia and the Tunisian Embassy in London.  Col Nejib Belhedi, (England/France 1993) presented the Association with a trophy to commemorate the swim on the highest tide each year.

At the awards ceremony after dinner pride of place went to Portugal's Miguel Arrobas who received the Associations Gold Medal for the fastest swim of the year and was also the first swimmer from that country. 

The fastest swim by a British person went to Nottingham's Chris Sheppard.  Chris unfortunately was not able to attend the proceedings as he was acting as best man at a wedding in Mexico and the award was received on his behalf by his sister. 

The trophy for the greatest feat of endurance went to Southampton based archaeologist Sophie Wright.

The special award to a disabled swimmer went to Frenchman Olivier Desmet for his incredible effort which took him within a mile of Cap Gris Nez, before the tide slowly prized success from his grasp. 

The award to the oldest swimmer went to 51 year old Benedikt Hjartarson, who was also the first swimmer from Iceland, whilst the award to the youngest swimmer went to the USA's 19 year old Clara Bennett. 

Also sharing the Montserrat Tresserras trophy for the first swimmer from a new country was Tuomas Kaario from Finland. 

Pride of place amongst the relay teams went to the Cambridge University team, who were the fastest team of the year, the fastest Mixed team and the youngest team.