Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

60 of the world’s greatest distance and sprint swimmers raced in the 15.5°C (60°F) waters of Lake Ontario at the 9th annual World’s Champion Swim Marathon held at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, Canada on September 1st 1936.

Francis ‘Frank] Pritchard, an Honour Swimmer inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2009, crossed the finish line as the world champion, creating a new record for the 5-mile course in 2 hours 7 minutes.

The Buffalo, New York native was active in marathon swimming from 1927 through 1938.

During his early career, Pritchard finished second in the 1927 National A.A.U. 4.5-mile championships and fourth in the 1928 USA Olympic Trials in the 1500-meter freestyle.

Between 1930 and 1937, Pritchard participated in the most prestigious marathon swimming event of the time, the Canadian National Exhibition marathon swims in Toronto, Canada. In 1931, he finished fourth. In 1933, he finished third. In 1934, he finished second. In 1935, he finished second again. In 1936, he finally won. In 1937, he defended his title and his race record that lasted more than 10 years.

Pritchard also won the 1934 Hearst 15-mile Swim in Lake Michigan in Chicago, and the 1934 and 1935 Blue Water Carnival 12-mile Swims from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada to St. Clair, Michigan, U.S.A.

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