The Washington times., 1922-04-30
BIG SWIMMING
RACE OPEN TO
ALL MERMAIDS
Long g-Distance Race in New
York Bay Is Made Interna-
tionaI Championship Event.

Anew YORK, April 29.-Another
~ sport classic was added today
= to the list of international
competitions to be decided in 1922,
as Americas blue ribbon event for
mermaids, the annual three-and-a-
half mile marathon swim over the
Point Breeze Manhattan Beach
Brighton Beach course, in New
York bay, will be raised to the dig
nifty of an international champion
ship.
The classic event. which was insti.
tuted more than ten years ago, will
be open for the first time to women
swimmers Of all nations, and every
effort Is being made to secure en-
tries from some OF the foremost for
eign girl champions of the day. As
there Is virtual assurance that the
leading stars of the entire United
States will take part, the race prom
ises to be the most brilliant feature
of the summers international
aquatic activities.
Race Gets Backing.
The decision to make the event a
worlds title test was reached only
after several of the country's lead
ing organizations had urged the
step and the New York Women's
Swimming Association had consent
ed to supervise the contest. in CO.
operation with the Brighton Beach
and Manhattan Beach baths.
The fact is that notwithstanding
the tremendous strides made In COM
petitive swimming for women lately
and the amazing popularity attained
by water sports for the sex mere
and abroad, there is not In existence
q standard international contest Tor
women long distance swimmers.
Even the program for the Olympic
Rames contains no race for mer-
maids longer than 400 meters. Yet,
m women prominent in aquatics
have pointed out, endurance swim
ming Is the branch OF natation which
most needs encouraging, for II IL
ability to cover long courses speed
! ily and without firing that Is or
paramount value from the utilitar-
ian standpoint, since the protect
ing of lives depends chiefly upon IL.
Last year, when the event was
revived after an intermission OF sew
eral years, due to conditions brought
about by the war, number OF
Young girls who never before had
duced to train for the test. sanction
ed by the A. A. U. as a national
championship. and gained proiF
cheney thereby.
Children Star.
Twenty-four starters. some OF
them mere children OF ten ana
twelve years old, completed inc
route without showing trace OF IA
4 l. anft
vomen's record for the course.
With the same incentive offered TO
mermaids Of all nations progress
sbould be proportionate everywhere
and the introduction of a marathon
championship should go a long way
toward the development throughout
the world OF strong. able swimmers,
fully equipped to meet emergencies.
Perhaps this year foreign con-
tenders will be few. Apart from the
fact that the notice Is short, Ameri-
can girls havea displayed such
marked supremacy that most OF
their rivals OF other nations may
feel their chances to figure are neg
ligible.
On the other hand, the latest per
formances abroad furnish evidence
that the fair champions of Aus
tralia, Great Britain and Sweden, In
particular, are advancing in leaps
and bounds, and with a definite OBJ
ject now In view Of all there Is no
doubt that these and other countries
will produce worthy candidates for
future occurrences of the champion
ship test. The outlook is very
bright.
This years race has been set for
the first week in August.