New-York tribune., 1908-08-23
WOMEN SWIM HUDSON
Niss Elaine Golding Beats Mss
Clara Hurst in Close Race.

Strong and smiling. Miss Elaine Goldng of
bata Beach champion woman swimmer of the
cni'eo states. won the race across the Hudson
from lrFington to Piermont yesterday in the rec
ord time of ! hour and 2S minutes Miss Clara
hurst. OF Staten Island, was second only two
minutes behind Miss Golding while Miss Ethel
Due' OF brooklyn was third. but did finish
Tor more than half an hour after the winner
MISS Elsie Thiei. the only other starter became
exhausted. before the first mile was completed
and had TO be lifted into her Zuide heat Miss
IhieI held the lead for the first few hundred
yards but when the swimmers settled down to
the powerful swinging stroke of the long grind
she gradually dropped behind and when she gave
up was far behind the leaders
The start was made from the Irvinpton dock
"here thousands of spectators had gathered.
Farmers came in from the surrounding country
aho the little village was wrought up to a high
state of excitement The race was scheduled to
start at $3.50. but II was until an hour later
mat the first launch across the river bear
Ing the contestants followed by another towing
the guide boats. The river was thronged with
small pleasure craft of all descriptions canoes
ana launches predominating in number
just at 4:so the rowboats poked their noses
against the end of the dock and the women stood
poised. waiting for the gun. Miss Thfel got a
good start. and with her trudgeon stroke opened
up a big gap on Miss Goldng who was in second
place Miss Due and Miss Hurst were fighting
along close together a few yards in the rear The
Staten Island girl swimming strong with her
fast stroke. and ii began TO look If she were
going TO have a walkaway Miss Godng vas
moving along smoothly with an overland stroke
which apparently required little energy. Miss
Hurst began creep away from Miss Due who
seemed to have got into difficulties, and
alternating WITH overland and slow side
stroke
It soon seen however. that the first three
swimmers had been caught in a strong cross cur
rent which was caused by the DETECTION of the ris-
ing tide by the Irvington dock and were being car
ried out into the middle of the stream at a rapid
Rate Miss Due had started furthest upstream and
did not get the benefit of this cross current, but
was carried up the river. When about in the mid
die of the river Miss ThieI had dropped back to
third place and was making no headway. She sig
nailed that she was going to give up and was
pulled into her boat
Then it a heart breaking struggle between
the champion. who has never yet met defeat and
Miss Hurst With only fifty yards between them
they fought on. stroke for stroke, but the Bath
Beach girl always kept her lead. Right into the
shore she successfully resisted every challenge made
by the girl who did well in the Brooklyn Bridge
Coney Island swim last Sunday and when she
climbed up the float the Pierrlont side she
as greeted with deafening salute from the boats
gathered there TO welcome. Miss Hurst finished
just two minutes later in I hour and 26 rinute
and she was met by hearty hendclasp from Miss
GoIding
Miss Due still more than rriNe from shore
and rcTe than mile up the river where she had
been carried by the tide when the other two women
finished. but she kept and finally got the
more than half hour later.
No little excitement was caused at the end of the
race when three young men in a canoe became
so enthusiastic that their boat overturned. One of
the men could not SWIM and he was struggling
desperately when he was dragged Of the water
The TWO others swan ashore and ali three were
taken UP 10 the hotel, where their clothes were
dried They refused 10 give their names and went
home IN the direction of Nyack