The Washington herald., 1916-07-17
Large Number of Spectators Watch
Swimming Races and Demon
STATIONS at Aqueduct Bridge.
BERT ANSLEY Is A STAR
By JOHN A. DUGAN.

A test of real swimming ability of local
aquatic athletes was furnished 5000 inter
ested spectators yesterday afternoon at
Pat Dempsey's Capital Canoe Club, under
the Aqueduct Bridge. when the first Of a
series OF life-saving contests were held
under the auspices of the Independent
and Aqueduct Bridge Life-saving Corps.
The spectators hung over the rail Of
the old bridge that leads to the Virginia
hills, about 400 canoes loaded with beyy
of pretty girls and their escorts. along
with few yachts and motorboats. which
were well crowded, lined the course and
lent brilliant trimming TO the pictur-
esque occas sion
Pat Dempsey's boat house harbored
most of the spectators as Pat kindly Of
fered this courtesy to the life-saving
corps. The river banks and the porches
and floats OF the adjoining clubs were
well crowded. and the fans Of the
aquatic sport showed a great leal of en-
thusiasm during the running of the
various events and demonstrations.
F. ]. Drummer, who was in charge Of
the affair was ably assisted in the run
ming off OF the lengthy program which
was completed in one hour and a half
Bert Ansley, Of the Washington Swim
ming Club. the Districts all-round cham
pion swimmer, was the star in the events
for men and boys, while Miss Carolina
Nelson featured the events for women
and girls.
Ansley annexed four first positions.
He carried off the honors in the twenty
five yard hack stroke tow. and easily
won the twenty-five yard sculling race.
The District champion again came
through in first position in the twenty
five yard side arm stroke and won the
fifty yard swim, while fully dressed with
pants, coat, vest, shoes and socks in
fast time.
Bert easily led the field in the gath
ering OF points as his score Of twenty
is fifteen points better than his nearest
competitor, and ii will be & hard job
for the local swimmers to cut down this
margin in the next two contests.
One OF the features OF the ife-saving
races which demonstrates that no mat
ter how much Of an expert swimmer one
may be, that he has a chance OF drown
| ing, came in the fully dressed race which
Ansley won in an easy manner. After
reaching the float on this tiresome Jour
| ney OF fifty yards Ansley was compelled
to call for assistance to be lifted out Of
| the water as he was all in from the
exertion of this test
The races scheduled for the women and
| girls brought out the closest competi-
tion, as Ansley made a runner-away OF
most OF the events for men. Although
Miss Carolina Nelson captured first hon.
ors it was only by the slight margin OF
one point, as Miss Marion May and Miss
| Phoebe Preston finished with equa
| honors for second position with ter
| points apiece while Miss Myrtle KinC
| landed third honors with five points
Besides the competition in the variou.
| ra cling events the demonstrations were
| really interesting and instructive The
| first demonstration Of a sanoe upset
and rescue and the getting OF the wate1
| out Of the boat which was demonstrated
| by Miss Florence Martin and Reginald
| Rutherford. OF the Washington Canoe
| Club, was easily the best OF the dav al
! Rutherford went through his work like
veteran and proved he is one OF the
best on the Potomac with the cedar
| barks
Another demonstration was given IA
show the spectators that a canoe is al
ways safe If the passengers will at ali
times keep a hold on the boat F. c
Bamman. who scored the second greatest
number Of points in the events for men.
along with six other members of the
Washington Canoe Club, upset a seven
teen-foot Morris canoe and filled il with
water. and proved that the boat would