The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-24
new YORK WOMEN
: LEAD IN SWIMMING
Local Association Has Taken
Prominent Place in the
Sport.
MISS DURACK COMPLAINS
Lays Her Defeat to Unfavor-
able Conditions on Ocean
Courses.
MISS DURACK COMPLAINS

Recent events have demonstrated con-
clusively that the New York Women's
Swimming Association is now the
worlds leading organization In watsr
sports for the gentle sex. The brilliant
victories scored In the past few days by
the Misses Ethelda Bleibtrey. Charlotte
Boyle and Eleanor and Ruth Smith oyer
Australia's famous water queens, Mis-,
Fannie DuratsS and Miss Nina wylls
hitherto recognized international lead
ers, leaves the question beyond dispute,
In every event so far decided free
style and breast stroke swimming, hon.
ors have fallen to the local girls. As
most of the worlds back stroke records
stand also to their credit their all
around supremacy Is obvious
Furthermore. the leadership assumed
seems likely to be retained in the future
The association has a RENAL kable sroup
of little stars in the process Of develop
ment, youngsters all the way from 8 to
Is, who are expert in all branches Of
workmanship and already brook no
rivals among girls of their own are
New York has ample reason to be proud
of Its fair natators.
Interesting Companion.
One of the interesting features OF the
decided last week over a ten mile stretch
IN the Delaware River, at Riverton, N,
j., was the comparison II made possible
between two of our foremost opponents
of out and out aquatic endurance who
nave adopted totally different methods
Among the contestants were Joseph
p. Gunther of Charleston. a crawl swim.
mer, credited two years ago with cover
ing 81 lis miles in Is hours ~ minutes
and Charles 10th of Boston. a devotee OF
an old fashioned stroke. who has made
several successful swims of approx
mately the same number of hours.
In 30 far as ability to last Is con.
cerned there Is evidently no great choice
between them. Yet in their first COM
petitive engagement at Riverton Gunther
and his crawl romped away from the
Boston man and beat him by a wide
margin.
That IS the difference between ire
modern strokes and the old. The new
strokes are just as easy to hold. and
they enable one to go faster over any
distance or further in a given period
of time.
Open VS.. stilI Water.
Miss Fannie Durack OF Australia has
commented on the unfavorable condi.
tons presented by the open water
courses used here for outdoor racing,
and this undoubtedly explains in large
measure her inability TO come within
80 seconds of her best time In the M
yard national championship at Manhst-
tan Beach. In Australia all compet-
ton takes place in pools.
Her remarks open the way to inter
esting speculation in regard to the one
mile title swim at Ocean Park. Cal, on
October /. in which she will meet Mrs.
Claire Galligan Finney of this city. now
temporarily on the coast 1t may be re-
called that Mrs. Finney did $50 yards
last summer over a 220 yard outdoor
course in 1881 As. swimming her sec
ond quarter 8 eeconds faster than the
first. This indicates ability to do the
| mile under % 80 at least.
Miss Durack's record. made in pool
stands at &c :06. The championship racs
| will be held In open water. II conditions
fleet the Austr allan to the extent they
| did at Manhattan Beach we may see a
| far better battle than promised by the
| official standards.