The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-09
Concerted Attempt to Develop
Long-Distance Men in
the Water.
FIRST AQUATIC MARATHON
HELD IN THE EAST
President Roosevelt May See
Race on Mississippi
River.
Tribune Special Sporting Service.

tribune special sporting Service,
NEW YORK. June S,-Judging from
the number of long distance swimming
races which are being scheduled by
various athletic clubs of the East and
West, there is concerted attempt being
made TO develop swimmers capable Of
going q long distance, feature in
which the American aquatic experts
have been weak in the past. In order
to encourage this class of racing. there
win be several so.celled Marathon
races during the coming outdoor sea
son. The object originally aimed at in
establishing the Marathon swim was
to provide an aquatic test AS nearly
equal as possible to the land event, and
as no better means OF comparison than
time could he found, it, was decided
to pick courses which it would take the
best swimmers from two and a half to
three hours TO cover, such being the
Approximate average time of a twenty.
five mile running race. Upon this basis
the dead water courses are from four
TO five miles in length. while the cur
rent or tidal water ones are generally
longer.
1t is likely that the first aquatic
Marathon this season will be held in
the East. The plans for it were formu-
lated last fall by the New York A. c.
II is to he held Jointly by the New
York A. G. and the Larchmont Yacht
club, probably on August 3, from the
boathouse at Travers Island to the pier
of the Larchmont club. The distance,
as the contestants will have to swim 1t,
is about four and onc-ha)f miles, but
as the race viii he started on the turn
of the tide, it should be equal to about
four miles. 1t is proposed TO ask the
event a national championship. and as
Handy, Goessling and Swatcck, the
three Westerners who made the best
time in the st. Louis and Chicago races
of 1906, have promised to be on hand,
this Marathon should be national in
scope as well as in name. The West
eruers have requested that the date be
made August 3 so as not to conflict
with other important water meets, and
the committee will doubtless grant the
request. If the plans of the promoters
go through. besides the regular A. A.
e. die medals to first, second and third,
there will be handsome trophies for all
who finish within a given time limit,
and this limit Will be made easy enough
to encourage all corners.
Second Race on Michigan.
The second Marathon is scheduled TO
take place in Lake Michigan, under the
gust IL The competitors will be
started from the Chicago Yacht club,
and the finish line will be placed before
the South Shore Country club. The
distance is eight miles, and it is thought
that this will deter many entrapts who
would tackle four or five mile swims.
First, to see how popular such a long
race is with the swimmers, and next,
TO End out how the men stand the
strain,
On the last day of August the Hi
nojs Athletic club Of Chicago runs
five-mile endurance test from the city
crib TO the Columbia Yacht club, and
several prominent Fasteners have been
invited to compete. A delegation of
expected that Boston, Philadelphia and
ST. Louis will also send representatives.
The Barry Beach Swimming club,
another Chicago organization, VIII hold
another distance race September !. Ihe
chosen course is from the CRIB to Ear
rv beach, good four and quarter
miles on still day, but apt 10 be
when the club held its race. there was
gale blowing down the course. and IT
cut the distance to Just about half,
Handy, the winner, finishing In a little
over an hour.
President May See Race.
The date for the famous ten-mlle
Marathon swim of the Missouri a. G.,
which is held yearly in the Mississippi
river. from the Chain Rocks to the
Eads bridge, is still in doubt. Despite
the prohibitive name of the race, thus
Marathon is not equal to four-mile
swim in still water. Goessling covered
the ten miles in 1:49 last year, which
shows how fast the current runs, III
seems now that this year race viii be
of national interest. Its progress may
be viewed by President Roosevelt, as
strong movement is afoot to have the
race postponed until the President s
Western tour and TO visit St, Louis.
Consequently. the race will not likely
be held until the first week in October,
as the President has announced that ho
will be at ST. Louis about October l.