Barry Watson

Barry Watson, inductee (Honour Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, Class of 1973

Barry Watson in striped shirt

Barry Watson's 1968 Channel Swimming Association certificate

Barry Watson is an open water swimmer from Great Britain who was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in the Class of 1973 as an Honour Swimmer. He lives in Bingley with his partner Linda and is currently involved in fell running and supports Alistair Brownlee and Jonathan Brownlee, the 2012 London Olympic Games gold and bronze medalists in triathlon.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

• He was the British Long Distance Swimming Association champion in Windermere in 1963 by staying in the water for 27 minutes, longer than any other competitor.
• He won the British Long Distance Swimming Association championship from Fleetwood to Morecambe in 1963.
• He was the British Long Distance Swimming Association champion in Windermere in 1964.
• On 16 August 1964, he swam across the English Channel from France to England, setting a record in 9 hours 35 minutes at the age of 25. He broke the record of 10 hours 23 minutes that was set in 1960 by Helge Jensen of Canada for the England‐to‐France direction and the record of 10 hours 35 minutes that was set by Brojen Das of Pakis­tan for the France‐to‐England direction set in 1961.
• He won the 13-mile British Long Distance Swimming Association championship from Fleetwood to Morecambe in 1965 in 7 hours 2 minutes.
• He won the British Long Distance Swimming Association 2-way Lake Windermere champion in 1966.
• He won the British Long Distance Swimming Association championship from Fleetwood to Morecambe in 1966.
• He finished fourth in the inaugural 1966 Windermere International in the Lake District of England in 5 hours 28 minutes 16 seconds at the age of 27.
• On 26 August 1967, he swam across Loch Lomond in Scotland in 12 hours 40 minutes 30 seconds, winning the 1967 British Long Distance Swimming Association Loch Lomond championship.
• He won the British Long Distance Swimming Association 2-way Lake Windermere champion in 1967.
• He won the British Long Distance Swimming Association championship from Fleetwood to Morecambe in 1967.
• On 14 September 1968, he swam across the English Channel from England to France in 15 hours 38 minutes.
• He won the British Long Distance Swimming Association 2-way Lake Windermere champion in 1968.
• In 1969, he swam 33.5 km across the English Channel from England to France in 13 hours 56 minutes.
• On 13 August 1970, he swam 33.5 km across the English Channel from England to France in 15 hours 14 minutes.
• He swam across Windermere a total of 39 times.
• In 1970 he swam across Windermere, Ullswater and Coniston in one day.
• He completed the 16-mile Fleetwood to Morecambe swim in 4 hours 7 minutes.
• He made three attempts to complete a two-way crossing of the English Channel. He was pulled in 1968, 1969 and 1970 on his second leg looking for favorable conditions that never materialized.
• He won three ice swims held on the first Sunday after the New Year during the 1960s in Lea Dam, Lumbutts, near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.

External links

• The Best Open Water Swimmers from 1950 to 2020
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 2010's
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 2000's
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 1990's
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 1980's
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 1970's
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 1960's
• The Best Open Water Swimmers of the 1950's
• 2020 International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Virtual Ceremonies
• Marathon Swimming Heroes In Memoriam
• Barry Watson Reminiscences About The Past On WOWSA Live
• Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
• World Record Progression Of English Channel Crossings
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• British Long Distance Swimming Association
• English Channel world record progression
• Commander Forsberg Starts Loch Lomond Crossings
• Channel Swimming Is Good For Barry Watson
• The Legacy Of Loch Lomond
• Beijing, London, Rio Built On The Vision In Windermere
• British Long Distance Swimming Association
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Daily News of Open Water Swimming
• A Short List of Marathon Swims
• Open Water Swimming
• British Long Distance Swimming Association
• Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
• Throwback Ice Swimming, Lea Dam In The 1960s
• When Times Were Simpler In The English Channel
• Channel Swimming Association
• British Long Distance Swimming Association
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• Marathon Swimming
• Daily News of Open Water Swimming