Philip Rush
Encyclopedia
Philip Rush is a firefighter and long distance swimmer who is the current world record holder for the fastest two and three way swim of the English Channel
which he completed in 1987 in a time of 28 h 21 mins (he completed the two way in a time of 16 h 10 mins)
2nd leg - 8 h 15 mins,
3rd leg - 12h 11 mins)
To date only two other people have completed a three way channel swim. Jon Erikson
in 1981 and Alison Streeter
in 1990.
Philip also completed a two way swim of the English Channel
in 1985 in a time of 17 h 56 mins.
Amongst Philip's other achievement include swimming the English Channel
10 times, the Cook Strait
8 times, including one of only two people to complete a Double Crossing, a feat he achieved on 13 Mar 1984 in a time of 16 h 16 mins and repeated on 9 Feb 1988 in a time of 18 h 37 mins.
Philip also became the first person to complete a double crossing of New Zealand's Lake Taupo
(40.2 km) which he completed on 14–15 January 1985. He also holds the time record of 10 h 14 mins set on 10 March 1985.
In June 2000 Philip was invited to take part in carrying the Olympic torch through Wellington
, New Zealand
.
Philip retired from swimming in 1990 and now coaches, and enjoys preparing swimmers to tackle the Cook Strait.
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
which he completed in 1987 in a time of 28 h 21 mins (he completed the two way in a time of 16 h 10 mins)
Biography
(1st leg - 7 h 55 mins,2nd leg - 8 h 15 mins,
3rd leg - 12h 11 mins)
To date only two other people have completed a three way channel swim. Jon Erikson
Jon Erikson
Jon Erikson is an American long distance swimmer who was the first of only three people to have ever completed a three way swim of the English Channel...
in 1981 and Alison Streeter
Alison Streeter
Alison Streeter MBE is a British long-distance swimmer. She has swum across the English Channel 43 times, more than anyone in the world and earning her the title of Queen of the English Channel. This total includes a triple-channel swim. She also completed seven Channel crossings in one year...
in 1990.
Philip also completed a two way swim of the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in 1985 in a time of 17 h 56 mins.
Amongst Philip's other achievement include swimming the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
10 times, the Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
8 times, including one of only two people to complete a Double Crossing, a feat he achieved on 13 Mar 1984 in a time of 16 h 16 mins and repeated on 9 Feb 1988 in a time of 18 h 37 mins.
Philip also became the first person to complete a double crossing of New Zealand's Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of , it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray ....
(40.2 km) which he completed on 14–15 January 1985. He also holds the time record of 10 h 14 mins set on 10 March 1985.
In June 2000 Philip was invited to take part in carrying the Olympic torch through Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Philip retired from swimming in 1990 and now coaches, and enjoys preparing swimmers to tackle the Cook Strait.