New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-12
Competitor FearsOnly That
the Course May Be Too
Short for Him.
BOY OF TWELVE TO
ATTEMPT JOURNEY
Suggestion Is Made That Start OF
the Race Be from Brooklyn,
Instead of the Battery.

and, have ADDED tnelT names l" wv
81 entries for The Tribune marathon
swim.
Interest in the race is growing steadily
and the constant increase in the hummer
Of assured starters. as we'll as the many
letters received concerning the event
daily confirm the belief that the contest
will prove the most important ana sue
cessful in the history Of American water
sports.
Elionskys decision 10 bid for honors
over the Battery 10 Sandy Hook route
will come as surprise TO many. Tor ne
was recently reported TO be considering
a challenge from Miss Rose Pitonon' or
Boston. which would have barred MN
from amateur competition. He has reg
is.ered with the Amateur Athletic Union,
however and he states that he Will let
nothing interfere with his starting IN
The Tribune swim.
Elionsky's only fear in pitting himsei
against the country's leading paddlers is
that the distance may be too short for
him He claims the record for endurance
having swan continuously for 10 hours 70
minutes AND he feels confident that ne
can outlast any man in the world
He purposes. in fact. 10 attempt the re-
turn trip If he succeeds in reaching Sandy
Hook Among his many remarkable per-
formances are a thirteen-mie swim in
New York Bay with hands and feet tied,
and six-mile journey towing rowboat
Griese has had but little experience in
racing. combining his long distance swim
ming TO trials against time. still he mas
shown both speed and stamina, and those
who have followed his work believe he
has a chance TO figure in The Tribune
event
Boy Wonder May Enter.
Commodore Charles Snyder, of Brook
iyn. whose twelve-year-o son, Eddie. last
summer created a sensation by covering
the fifteen miles between Coney Island
and the Brooklyn Bridge in hours A.
minutes is anxious to send the lad over
the sandy Hook route, but makes the
entry conditionally. He said to mem
Der of the committee:
II should like nothing better than TO
see Eddie in the swim, yet don't think
that he or any one else will find it pos
sible to reach the Hook if the start is
made from the Battery before high tide
"If may offer a suggestion. it is that
the start be made from the Brooklyn
shore, instead of the Battery. The same
distance can be carefully measured, so as
TO get course Of the desired length, but
the competitors will then not be obliged to
face such a strong tide. and their pros
pects Of landing al the Hook Will be far
better. Should the change be made |
promise that Eddie will be on hand.
More Talk Of the Course.
Regarding the route to follow, expert
ence has taught me that Buttermilk Chan
mel is by long odds preferable 10 the out
ward course in making for the Narrows'
which should he passed rather close TO the
staten Island shore, where the ebbing ude
$ strongest After that ] am in favor ot
pointing TO the westward Of the Hook, not1
20 the eastward. as some have advocated
THE leading men may then be able to
get near enough TO the goal by the time
the tide changes TO take advantage OF the
cddies around the point and make the
beach. on an easterly course the SWIM
mers are likely TO be forced back over
the covered ground. instead of being
helped toward Sandy iiook.
These views of Commodore Snyder. who
has superintended a number OF Marathon
sycims IN New York waters, are well worth
considering. and particularly his sugges-
lion about sending of the contestants from
the Brooklyn shore. As the East River
begins TO ebb long before the Hudson
IL stands 20 reason that more favorable
conditions would be obtained.
At the same time. the majority do not
agree with the commodore on the score
Of waiting for high tide to start. A letter
lust received from John J. Greene. OF
Brooklyn, is worth quoting for IT contains
most logical argument in behalf OF an
early start. Mr.. Greene writes:
Il have read with keen interest the pub
nshed opinions OF experts In regard TO the
best hour TO start the Tribune Marathon
swim. and wish TO touch upon point
that has not been brought out. II is prac-
,cally conceded by all that no present
dav swimmer can negotiate the distance
between the Battery and Sandy HOOK IN
one tide. This granted. it becomes quite
evident that part OF the Journey must be
made bucking the current
lis IL not therefore perfectly cIedr tndt
everything is TO be gained by starting the
race one hour or even two hours before
high tide? The men will then be fresh
and strong, far better able TO battle
against q resisting current than after
;ong and exhausting fight OF several
! hours.
Furthermore. there occurs at change
az tide period known as high water
slack. during which no perceptible cur
rent stirs within two or three feet OF the
surface This period lasts approximately
sixty minutes. Would it not be sad
error 20 waste the precious hour"
Mr. Greene loses sight OF the fact that
high water slack oyerlaps the period OF
flooding tide, SO that the hour OF stiffness
he speaks about only sets In about half an
hour before the calendar time for high
tide. Nevertheless his contention that II
~ advisable TO make the swimmers face
the opposing current at the beginning
rather than az the end OF the Journey Is
based on common sense. for n the claim
that the bay tides cannot be stemmed
proves well founded as some would make
Us believe. a late start will not help
obviously. man unable TO make head
way against the current when rested and
full Of snap will certainly not succeed In
6oing 90 after = eruelling trip has slapped
his vitality and deprived his muscles OF
heir vigor.
Remains just one point 10 be eluci-
.Sted. Does the tide run stronger around