Evening star., 1925-07-31

Similarly it means that the greater
part of the test takes place out in
the open waters of the channel, with
both favorable and adverse tide con
ditions and some useful experience
against wind, currents. and the ia
nous chop" of the channel waters.
Every such swim is under strict
channel conditions. with Trainer
Jabez Wolfe and his navigator,
Capt Costo, setting the courses,
feeding the swimmer and signal
ling her all necessary data. For
these swims Miss Ederle wears
the same costume she will carry on
her final effort. including rubber cap
and waterproof goggles. and her body
is carefully creased with tallow to
accustom her to this warmth-retain-
ing medium.
On her first long distance rehearsal
she left Ambleteuse. three miles east
of Boulogne. and headed straight into
the channel, covering nine miles in
exactly three hours. This was con-
sidered renia rka BILE performance by
the experts who followed her in the
tug. especially as she did not exert
herself unduly at any time. The first
hour was against the tide.
Too Fast for Frenchman.
The French swimmer Destrees. who
saved the life of Miss Lillian Harri-
son, Argentine champion. during the
latter's unsuccessful channel attempt
n L5F weeks ago. volunteered TO ac
company Miss Ederle as pacemaKer
for n short distance at the start. But
her pace was too fast for the French
champion. who abandoned the water
after a few minutes.
Capt. Costo. well-knOwn English
Xs-hn
Of Boston. on the latter's successful
CrosS-channel swim two years ago,
was in charge of the tug during this
trial swim 1t was his first view of
Miss Ederle's swimming. and he de-
clared her performance marvellous, 3"
adding that with favorable conditions
he would expect her TO lower the
Channel record by several hours"
Two other cross-channel aSpirants
are in training on the beach near
Miss Ederle's headquarters. They are
Miss Lillian Harrison, the Argent
nian. and the Egyptian champion, NJ.
Helmy. Both are being coached by
Thomas W. Burgess. who swan the
channel successfully in 1911. Both
Miss Harrison and Helmy are fire.
quent visitors al the Ederle head
quarters, and there is the greatest
good feeling between the rivals for
channel honors
Has Best Chance of Three.
Miss Ederle is regarded in all three
camps as the most likely TO succeed,
and her training is more rigorous
than in the two other places. Her
first rehearsal" won the hearty con-
gratulations of the two others, HelmY
accompanying her in the water for a
considerable distance, and on the fol-
lowing day JabeZ Wolfe and Burgess
paced her for an hours fast swim
across the bay, in a water tempera-
ture of &c degrees inshore.
Burgess on his return from this
trial said: Il am frank to say that ]
never saw a woman swimmer as good
as this American champion, although
| have coached many of them. She
stands every chance of success"
Girls NeZ is an ideal spot for train
ing in comfort. 1t is a tiny French
hamlet of less than a hundred inhabit-
ants, and is not easily accessible
from Boulogne, Calais, or the other
large towns. Therefore. training is
not interrupted or complicated by the
presence of large crowds of admirers,
spectators or merrymakers.
tCopyright. 1925. by North American News
paper Alliance. All rights reserved.l