HISTORY OF
Club Dauphins-Genève
At the beginning of the 1960s, 2 friends, employees of Swissair in Geneva, one a cashier, Mr. Charles ECUYER and the second, head of the technical department, Mr. Alfred ARNOLD, decided to start building housing for the company's staff in Cointrin. The Housing Cooperative "Les Ailes" in Cointrin was born! She built several villas and a building. The promoters had the idea of creating a summer swimming pool as a place to relax. In order to be able to benefit from subsidies, in particular that of Sport Toto, for the construction of this complex, it was necessary to create a swimming club.
Different variants were considered. 16 swimming enthusiasts, seduced by the idea, each put Fr. 5 on the table. A swimming club was created on September 26, 1960 under the name "Les Dauphins de Cointrin", with a president, André Koller, a former Swiss swimming champion, at its head. An agreement between the Commune of Meyrin and the State of Geneva for the provision of the land was made. Construction could begin.
Other developments
The club, a member of the SATUS federation, withdrew from it to affiliate to the Swiss Swimming Federation (FSN). Several swimming pools are opening in Geneva and its region. The Vernets swimming pool then those of Carouge, Vernier (Piscine des Ranches), Lancy, Le Lignon. Meyrin opened the Livron school basin and subsequently opened the Champs-Fréchets catchment area.
But the winter training is not solved. The Piscine des Vernets does not allow the club to train during the winter season because it is not domiciled in the municipality of Geneva. Our sports chief ensures all the training of the swimmers, summer and winter, and thanks to his contacts, the Piscine de Rieu grants us exclusivity for winter training.
In order to allow a national and international development of the club, the committee proposed in 1972, a modification of the statutes for a change of name of the club. It becomes "Dauphins-Genève".
Our Swimming Pool
Consisting of a pool with the regulatory dimensions of 25 m x 12.50 m., a teaching pool and a lawn. Under the name "Piscine des Ailes", it was inaugurated on June 24, 1961. The first facility of its kind open to the public in the canton, it allowed a certain development of Geneva swimming. Almost 50 years after its inauguration, it is now equipped with a heating system in 1968 and is still used for summer training. The club has its headquarters there and, for many years, it has carried out the operation of the "Piscine des Ailes" and its sporting activity at the same time.
1966 saw the arrival in its ranks of the national coach, Michel GIROUD. Under his leadership, a dazzling development took shape. Competitive swimming is intensifying both nationally and internationally. Contacts were made with Villefranche s/Saône, Sochaux, Castres and Vancouver.
Swimming school
A swimming school was opened at the swimming pool in Lancy, then in Meyrin (Livron and Champs Fréchets pools), as well as in Vernier (Ecole des Ranches) and Les Avanchets.
In the good years, it was not uncommon for the club to come back with more than 30 medals from the Swiss Championships
The Olympic Games
A section was founded in Rieu and allowed the club to set foot on the left bank. Then another section was created in Vernier. The Municipality also makes its school basssin of Les Ranches available. The covering of the Ailes swimming pool was planned for annual operation, but the idea had to be abandoned. The club participates in all national swimming competitions, Swiss swimming championships, various challenges. They won many victories.
A swimmer from the club, M.-Th.Armentéros, was selected for the Olympic Games.
Fin Swimming
A new discipline was born: Fin Swimming. The club is a member of the Swiss Federation of Underwater Sports FSSS. It is a revival after the decline of sports swimming, the club having seen the emergence of many generations of very high level swimmers, swimmers participating sometimes in the European Championships and the World Championships of the specialty with the Swiss team.
In 1972, he was entrusted with the organization of the 1st Swiss Swimming Championships with Fins which took place at the Piscine du Lignon.
Synchronized swimming
In June 1998, a new flagship of the club was born: the "Synchronized Swimming" section. Guided in the first years by Armelle GAUTHIER, she was succeeded by Françoise GROSSRIEDER who left the reins of the section a few years later to Valérie SCHNEIDER - the cantonal coach of the specialty. From success to success, the section having grown so much (1/3 of the club), the committee of understanding with the heads of the synchronized swimming section decided in 2009 to carry out a "spin off" of the section and to create a new club dedicated solely to this specialty: Dauphins Synchro Vernier.
a new logo
At the time of the film "The Big Blue", the club's logo was refreshed in its current form, with a man and a dolphin intertwining closely in a playful and harmonious movement.
Sport swimming and Triathlon
During the same years, another activity of our club was born, the "Sports Swimming and Triathlon". This activity allows runners, swimmers and cyclists to fully realize their favorite sport without being forced to participate in competitions. It was a success. But over the years, Michel Giroud expressed the desire to retire. Unable to find a full-time coach for financial reasons, his departure was felt and the decline set in.
"Dauphins-Genève" decided to give up competitive swimming, while continuing the activities of Sport Swimming and Triathlon, under the devoted direction of Alfred MOOSBERGER, still in charge of the section to this day.
Club presidents up to 2010
Since its creation in 1960, the club has seen several Presidents succeed each other. For those who knew them, we would like to remind you, among others, of Messrs. Gérald CLERC, Pierre BERTHOLET, Jean-Pierre TOMASI. In the accomplishment of their task, they were also surrounded by members of the Executive Committee such as the late Mrs. Charlotte CLEMENT, secretary for more than 30 years and our current treasurer, Daniel KOHLER who has been in charge of the Club's finances since.... 1967! It was he who convinced Marc CLEMENT, National Scuba Diving Instructor and multiple Swiss champion of fin swimming, in the 1990s to take over the reins and destiny of the club for more than 30 years, at first a member of the committee at the head of fin swimming, and then took over the presidency.
In turn, he brought a new lease of life to the club. In 1997, he proposed the creation of a new section, Apnea, directed by the world champion of the discipline, Alexandra LOUZINE, who was succeeded a few years later by Susanne JEGGE. At that time, our club had several Swiss, Canadian and French Champions as well as European Champions and World Champions.
At the same time, the scuba diving section was strongly energized and courses were organized by the President at the time Marc CLEMENT, quickly bringing new members to the club. Outings are also organized and new equipment is purchased.
2010 was a landmark year because after 20 years as president, Marc Clément decided to hand over the position of president of the Club, a year in which the club also celebrated its 50th anniversary.
2010 was a landmark year because after 20 years as president, Marc Clément decided to hand over the position of president of the Club, a year in which the club also celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Club presidents after 2010
2010 saw an important change as after 20 years as president, Marc Clément decided to hand over the position of president of the Club, a year in which the club is also celebrating its 50th anniversary."
The same year, Lionel DUBREUIL, head of the scuba diving section and instructor specialising in technical diving with mixtures other than air, took over the reins of the club.
He remained president until 2018, when he was replaced by Grégory BOS, who until then managed the scuba diving section.
The year 2020 will remain a sad year for the world as well as for the Dolphins, with the COVID-19 crisis, the Club's activities had to slow down or even stop for many months. But it was above all the year when we lost a pillar of the Club with the loss of our friend Marc Clément.
Marc had been scuba diving for more than 50 years. CMAS National Instructor. CH, MF2 FFESSM, TDI Instructor Trainer (inc. Trimix and rebreathers), IDC Staff Instructor PADI and NAUI Course Director, he knew how to share his life of passion for scuba diving, including his experience acquired by traveling and diving in all the seas of the world.
Marc will be missed by all of us and it is by keeping this caring and passionate spirit that we will continue to share our activities.
