Evening star., 1923-08-13
SW|MS CHANNEL,
SETS new RECORD
Argentine Swimmer Crosses
In is Hours 80 Minutes,
Timing a Feature.
BY the Associated Press.

Sy the Associated PresS.
CALAIS. August 13.-The relative
ease with which Enrique Tirabocchi
of Argentine finished his record
!. breaking swim across the English
channel from Calais to Dover can be
attributed not only to his strength
as swimmer but also to the nicely
with which he calculated distance.
He had figured out carefully the
stretch of water he had to cover in
certain time in order to get within
range of the rising tide that fnaily
swept him into Dover.
Tirabocchi carried out this part or
his program so neatly that during the
last third of his swim. which was
the severest test, the tide was help
ing him. although he had cross and
contrary currents to contend with.
The channel swim, which was ac-
compliShed in the record time or l6
hours SO minutes. has caused much
and the sporting newspapers are
urging that the swimming author
tiles organize an annual competition
so that there may be thorough
supervision of the candidates.
1t is said that while no criticism
of any swimmer is implied, the chan
mel stunt should be controlled as are
other sporting events. This would
also simplify the swimmers prepara-
tions. Furthermore. all would com
pete on an equal basis. as all would
start at the same time and under
identical conditions.
L. ). Swimmer Quits.
After eighteen hours and ten min
utes in the water, Charles 10th of
Boston, Mass. abandoned his at
tempt to swim the channel at 6:45
o'clock yesterday morning. He was
~ l,f, h.,ls nf he
French coast when he gave up.
With the landing of Tirabocchi the
channel twice has been conquered
within a week by swimmers.
With fortunate turns in the tide
Tirabocchi took nine hours less for
his journey from the French side of
the waterway to Dover than Henry
Sullivan of Lowell. Mass, required
last week to traverse the route in the
opposite direction. The Argentinian
also cut tve hours and twelve min
utes off the record set in the'70s by
the first man to swim the channel,
Capt. Matthew Webb, an Englishman,
who later lost his life in trying to
negotiate the rapids at Niagara
Falls.
The great effort of Tirabocchi sap
ped him of all his strength. The mo-
ment the Argentinian's feet touched
bottom few yards out from the peb-
ble-covered beach of Dover. he fell
INTO the arms OF members of the
crowd that had cheered the finishing
strokes of his trudge across the
twenty-five and "a half f-mile stretch of
water.
To Get 1000 Pounds.
Like Sullivan, the Argentinian will
receive $1,000 for his feat and also a
gold medal from the Channel SWIM
ming Club.
Because the channel has been cross
ed twice within week does not
necessarily mean that the feat has
become easy. Three other persons
who started Saturday to do what
Tirabocchi accomplished all had to
be lifted from the water before dry
land was reached. Two of them Ro-
meo Macfel, an Argentinian. and Sam
Richards of Boston have decided that
the channel is too much for them for
this year at least. and do not intend
TO make other attempts at the swim
until 1924. 10th. who quit early yes
terday when seemingly within .strik-
ing distance of the French coast, is
undecided whether he will have an
other go at the task before the au-
tumnal tides set in