New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-26
Covers SMILE Course in
Sheepshead Bay Inlet in
Extremely Fast Time.
HAS SMALL MARGIN
OVER MISS FREEMAN
Six OF Seven Starts Finish the
Course, 13-Year-Old Girl
Getting Third Place.
BIZ /. DE u. HANDLFY.


Miss Claire Galligan, of New Rochelle.
wearing the colors of the National
Women's Lifesaving League. won the
Brighton Beach Bath marathon swim in
Sheepshead Bay inlet yesterday. This
race was called off last Wednesday By
the referee after the contestants had
battled for an hour and a quarter
against a rushing tide without making
any Roadway.
Miss Galligan covered the iive-mile
course in hour mIhUses and 10 sec
onds, defeating by only 90 seconds her
teammate, Miss Lucy Freeman, OF Bath
Beach. who finished second. Both used
the trudgeon crawl stroke all the way.
Miss Helen Rubican, rne little thir-
teen-year-old wonder of the Phlladel-
phia Turngemeinde, was third, 2 min
utes and 20 seconds behind Miss Free
man, swimming the trudgCOn, and there
followed in order the Misses Rita Green
field. Bertha Pearlstein and Sophie
Freitag.
Miss Dora Hyatt, OF Bath Beach, the
only other starter, retired after SWIM
ming about one-third of the distance
She was then more than quarter Of a
mile behind the leaders.
Some comment was heard regarding
the length of the course, the claim
being raised that the winners time
indicated il TO be shorter than the
Rockaway Point TO Brighton Beach one
generally used, the record for which
by Miss Elaine Golding, stands at
hour % minutes.
This may be doubted, however. Miss
Hyatt was at Miss Golding's side when
the latter set her record, yet she
would have been no less than twenty
minutes behind Miss Galligan yester-
day had she kept on to the end. Cir
swimmers have made amazing strides
of late.
The course in Sheepsnead inlet was
an ideal one; clear, well marked and
atfording absolutely equal and fair
conditions TO all. 1t led from CHS
holm's Bath 10 and around n boat an
chored off Oriental Point, then back 10
the western end OF the creek, and from
there to the starting float. 1t meas
ured about two and a quarter miles.
The contestants were sent off az 3:17
in the afternoon. and the two Phladel-
phia entrants got away in the lead. but
were soon overtaken by Miss Galligar
and Miss Freeman, who, shoulder ia
shoulder, began to pull away from the
field.
1t was a stirring fight between these
two for half mile, but Miss Galligan''
cleaner, smoother stroke carried her t
/ the fore, and on turning the first mari
+ she Strengthened out with an advantag,
/ of nearly fifteen yards. Miss Rubicar
swung around fifty yards behind Mis-
Freeman. The Misses Pearlstein, Fret
tag and Greenfield came along next
close together, and Miss Hyatt brough
up the rear.
On the second leg the margin be
/ tween the leaders increased steadily
but Miss Greenfield improved her posi-
/ ton, passing Miss Pearlstein and tax
1 ing fourth place. Miss Hyatt withdrew
soon after rounding
Thus the field reached the last turn
and headed for home, Miss Freeman
making a game and desperate attempt
to catch her speeding rival in the
stretch. But the latter quickened her
pace in prompt response and, swim
ming in perfect form, reached the line
an easy winner
Miss Freeman gave n pretty exhibit
tion OF craftsmanship on finishing.
Swiftly climbing onto the float, she
threw neI arms hIOuHu MISS hdlllbdH,
her successful opponent, and offered
hearty congratulations. Little Miss
Rubican seemed much more interested
in the performances Of her antagonists
than in her own No sooner had she
left the water than she began to shout
encouragement to those still swimming,
urging them to hurry.
The most remarkable feature of the
race was the splendid condition in
which the girls finished. Most of them
asked a few pertinent questions, then
leaped overheard again and enjoyed a
rest by doing some more swimming.
The Philadelphia youngsters were
still padding around half an hour after
the last contestant had finished.
Miss Galligan's time was unusually
fast, and her defeat of Miss Freeman
leaves absolutely no doubt that she can
now dispose of all American swimming
records for women, from 220 yards to
one mile.
The summary follows: