History of the Traversée internationale du lac Saint-Jean CA
Some of the Greatest Swimmers in the History of the Traversée internationale du lac Saint-Jean 🇨🇦
The Traversée internationale du lac Saint-Jean began in 1955 and has become one of the iconic marathon-swimming races in the world. The modern course is 32 km from Péribonka to Roberval, and the event has welcomed swimmers from 37 countries over its history.
Jacques Amyot Canada
The Pioneer
Jacques Amyot must be number one when discussing the history of Lac Saint-Jean.
On 23 July 1955, seven swimmers started the first Traversée. Amyot was the only swimmer to finish, completing approximately 26 km in 11:32:10 despite waves, wind and thunderstorms.
His achievement transformed an idea into a sporting tradition that continues more than 70 years later.
Amyot also crossed the English Channel twice, making him an important figure in the broader history of Canadian marathon swimming.
Legacy: The man who proved that Lac Saint-Jean could be crossed.
Abdel Latif Abou Heif Egypt
The Egyptian Legend
Abdel Latif Abou Heif is one of the greatest marathon swimmers in history and one of the most important Egyptian athletes associated with Lac Saint-Jean.
He won the Traversée in 1965, becoming part of the extraordinary international generation that established the race as a world-class marathon.
The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame specifically lists Abou Heif among the notable swimmers who completed the Lac Saint-Jean marathon.
His importance goes far beyond one victory. Abou Heif was one of the dominant marathon swimmers of his generation and helped establish Egypt as a major force in long-distance swimming.
Legacy: An Egyptian pioneer who connected Lac Saint-Jean with the golden age of international marathon swimming.
John Kinsella USA
The Human Torpedo
Kinsella dominated Lac Saint-Jean during the 1970s.
From 1974 through 1979, he won the race six consecutive times.
That record stood for decades until Petar Stoychev eventually surpassed it.
Kinsella's six victories are especially impressive because they came during an era when marathon swimming was an extremely demanding sport with very different preparation, nutrition and support systems from today's professional open-water racing.
Legacy: The first great modern dynasty of Lac Saint-Jean.
Stéphane Lecat France
The Speed Record Holder
If we are talking about performance, Stéphane Lecat deserves a place near the top.
In 2000, Lecat won the Traversée and established the still-standing 32-km men's record:
6:22:48
The official Traversée records list this as the men's best time for the 32-km Péribonka–Roberval course.
Lecat won the Traversée in:
1996
1999
2000
He later became a major international marathon swimmer and competed at the highest level for many years.
Legacy: The benchmark for speed over the modern 32-km course.
Petar Stoychev Bulgaria
The King of Lac Saint-Jean
If one swimmer represents dominance, it is Petar Stoychev.
He won the Traversée 11 consecutive times from 2001 through 2011.
That is an extraordinary achievement.
In 2006, Stoychev equaled John Kinsella's record of six consecutive victories. Five years later, he won his 11th straight title, creating a record that stands as one of the defining achievements in the history of the event.
Stoychev was also one of the world's greatest marathon swimmers of his generation and competed successfully across many different open-water environments.
Legacy: The greatest winning streak in the history of Lac Saint-Jean.
Greta Andersen Denmark
The First Woman to Win Overall
Greta Andersen created history in 1958.
She became the first woman to win the Traversée overall, defeating the men in an era when women's participation in extreme marathon swimming was far less common than today.
The official Traversée history recognizes Andersen as one of only two women to win the overall classification.
The other was Judith de Nijs in 1966.
Legacy: A pioneer who changed the perception of women's capability in marathon swimming.
Judith de Nijs Netherlands
The Dutch Marathon Champion
Judith de Nijs was another extraordinary female marathon swimmer.
She won the Traversée multiple times, including:
1964
1966 — overall winner
1967
1968
1970
The official records list her as the woman with the second-highest number of victories, behind Petar Stoychev's overall record.
Her 1966 overall victory made her the second woman after Greta Andersen to win the race outright.
Legacy: One of the greatest female marathon swimmers of the 1960s and 1970s.
Herman Willemse Netherlands
The Dutch Marathon Machine
Willemse won the Traversée three consecutive times:
1961 — 1962 — 1963
His victories came during one of the strongest eras in international marathon swimming.
The early 1960s were particularly important because Lac Saint-Jean was becoming an international meeting point for the best distance swimmers from Europe, North America and South America.
Legacy: One of the dominant swimmers of the first international generation.
Horacio Iglesias Argentina
The Argentine Champion
Horacio Iglesias represents another powerful marathon-swimming nation: Argentina.
He won Lac Saint-Jean three consecutive times:
1967 — 1968 — 1969
This was part of an extraordinary period when swimmers from Argentina, the Netherlands, Egypt, Canada, the United States and Europe competed against each other in the world's major marathon races.
Legacy: One of Argentina's great representatives during the golden age of marathon swimming.
Claudio Plit Argentina
The Ironman of Lac Saint-Jean
Claudio Plit deserves special recognition for longevity.
He competed in the Traversée 25 times, finishing his 25th consecutive participation in 1997.
He also won the race five times, including four victories in the extraordinary 64-km round-trip era.
The official Traversée statistics recognize Plit as the men's record holder for number of participations.
Legacy: Extraordinary consistency, endurance and longevity.
special Canadian mention: Régent Lacoursière
It would be impossible to discuss the history of Lac Saint-Jean without mentioning Régent Lacoursière.
He won the Traversée in 1960, becoming part of the early Canadian generation that helped establish the race.
He is also recognized among the important figures in the history of the event. The 70th-anniversary book Les folles histoires de la traversée du Lac St-Jean specifically highlights Lacoursière alongside Abou Heif, Stoychev and other legends.
historical ranking
Jacques Amyot 🇨🇦 Canada First successful crossing
Petar Stoychev🇧🇬 Bulgaria 11 consecutive victories
Stéphane Lecat🇫🇷 France 32-km record: 6:22:484
John Kinsella🇺🇸 USA Six consecutive victories
Abdel Latif Abou Heif Egypt Golden-age marathon legend
Judith de Nijs🇳🇱 Netherlands Five victories + overall win
Greta Andersen🇩🇰🇺🇸First woman overall winner
Herman Willemse🇳🇱 Netherlands Three consecutive wins
Horacio Iglesias🇦🇷 Argentina Three consecutive wins
Claudio Plit🇦🇷 Argentina Record 25 participations
Canadian perspective: Mohamed Marouf EG CA. participated in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001, and his description of Lac Saint-Jean as the Wimbledon of swimming is a memorable part of the event's history.
