Oldest person to complete a two-way swim crossing of the English Channel

Rick Seirer (Australia, b. 10 September 1959) became the oldest swimmer, male or female, to complete a two-way English Channel swim when, on 26–27 August 2019, aged 59 years 351 days, he completed the double swim from Dover, UK, to Cap Gris-Nez, France, and back in a total time of 29 hours 46 minutes. The record was set under the auspices of the Channel Swimming Association.

Seirer set off from Samphire Hoe in Dover, UK, at 6.30 a.m. GMT on 26 August. The first crossing took 11 hr 55 min and the return leg took 17 hr 48 min. He was accompanied throughout the swim by support vessel Viking Princess, piloted by Reg Brickell.

Seirer, a part-time farm advisor and farmer who rears cattle in Victoria, Australia, trained for three years to take on this marathon swim.

This takes the record from Sally Anne Minty-Gravett (UK, b. 16 July 1957), who completed a two-way English Channel swim on 30 August 2016 aged 59 years 45 days (in a total time of 36 hr 26 min).