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Regent Lacoursiere

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Régent Lacoursière, inductee (Honor Swimmer) in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, Class of 1978
Régent Lacoursière, an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
Regent LaCoursiere swimming with a Great White Shark in a professional marathon swim from the mainland of the state of Rhode Island to Block Island in 1968. Photo by Jean-Guy Racicot from escort boat
Rue LaCoursière, named after Régent Lacoursière, an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
Esther Williams with Regent LaCoursière
Régent Lacoursière on left after the tie for second with Abdellatief Abou Heif in Lac St. Jean 1963
Régent Lacoursière with Johnny Weissmuller and Abdul Latif Abou Heif

Régent Lacoursière (Regent "Johnny" LaCoursière) (born 18 April 1935 in Montreal, Canada) is a 86-year-old masters swimmer, competitive swimmer and a professional marathon swimmer from Canada who was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978 as an Honour Swimmer.

Open Water Swimming Career[edit]

World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation[edit]

The World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation was formed in 1963 to promote professional marathon swimming and to rank the top professional marathon swimmers. LaCoursiere was ranked 5th in 1964, 7th in 1965, 5th in 1966, 2nd in 1967, and 3rd in 1968 competing in many different events including the 24 Heures La Tuque a total of 7 times.

Swim School[edit]

In 1958, Regent started giving private swimming lessons to young children because swimming lessons for children under the age of eight were still not available. In 1963, his daughter Lynn was born and Regent used his own child to perfect a teaching method for babies. In 1966 Regent Jr. was born and a revolutionary baby teaching method became a reality.

Regent was so driven by his need to ‘teach swimming and survival to the babies of the world, he invested his life’s savings, sold his possessions, his life insurance policies and financed his own swimming school because no bank would approve a loan for a swim school. In 1970 he opened the Regent LaCoursière Swim School and over 3,000,000 swimming lessons have been given.

Publications[edit]

Regent has authored three books on swimming and an autobiography:

Invention[edit]

  • In 1998 Regent received a patent for his Diaper Swim Vest that was voted one of the top ten new products of the Millennium by CBS consumer Reporter, Mr. Herb Weisbaum.
  • He has created the floating swim collar, the flotation swimsuit with 6” Styrofoam insert, the back float – the original King of swimming aids, the back float Flubble, the 6 cube swim belt, the adult swim belt and a complete selection of swim caps and quality UV protection swim goggles for young children through to adults.

Marathon Swimming Career[edit]

- 1960 1st place – Lake St. Jean, Qc – 24 miles – 9:30.12
- 1958 – 1972 – 15 consecutive crossings of Lake St. Jean
- 1958 – 59 – 60 & 64 – 1st place, Three Rivers, Quebec – 10 miles
- 1965 – 66 – 67 -1st place, 24-hours of La Tuque, Quebec
- 1963 – 1st place - Northumberland Strait – 10 miles (direct distance of 7.8 miles) – 7:09:10
- 1965 – 1st place – Lake Ontario, Hamilton – 10 miles – 5:10.06
- 1966 – 1st place – Mar Del Plata, Argentina, 32 miles – 17:28.15
- 1966 – 2nd place – Rhode Island – 14 miles – 7:36.30
- 1966 - 24 miles – Capri to Napoli, Italy

External links[edit]

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