Evening star., 1934-10-15
CAPITAL women
WIN EIGHT PRIZES
|NAv|AHONMEET
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25,000 See b. C. Flyers
Take Most Of Honors at
College Park.
HUGE CROWD THRILLED
BY 25-MILE HANDICAP
Pittsburgh Aviatrix Noses Out
Washington Nurse in l50-
Mile-an-Hour Clash.

Capturing 8 Of IA prizes. Washing
toms woman flyers bested the pick Of
the country's feminine aviators IN ths
nrst women,s air meet In the East
ern United States, held yesterday
afternoon at College Park Airport,
College Park, Md.
Before q crowd estimated at more
than $4,000. the Washington girl
flyers took two first places, two second
and four third in the i've events, which
occupied more than four hours. The
flying meet was the closing event Of
Q two-day meeting Of the Central East
ern Division Of the e9ers, national
organization Of woman flyers.
The crowd was brought to It's feet
by rousing finish to the only racing
event Of the afternoon, 25-mile
handicap, In which Miss Helen Nc.
Closkey Of Pittsburgh nosed out
Washington's star feminine racing
pilot, Miss Edna NJ. Gardner, Naval
Hospital nurse, by scarcely q plane
length. Both planes finished in q
nose to nose diving burst across the
line, the Pittsburgh girl passing her
rival only few hundred yards from
the finish.
Speeds lis Miles an Hour.
Miss McCloskey covered the IS
miles from q standing start on the
ground In 23 minutes 58H seconds, at
an average speed Of 1887 miles per
hour. her best speed being IN excess
Of $50 miles per hour. Miss Gard
ner's time was % minutes 587s seconds.
Third place In the race was taken
by Mrs. 0enevieve Savage, wife of
Capt. Charles M. Savage, Boiling Field
adjutant, and fourth place by Miss
Harriet Sackett OF Washington.
The crowd got one Of the greatest
thrills Of the afternoon during this
race when Miss Helen Cavis Of WASH
ington, forced out Of the running by
engine trouble, narrowly avoided
. collision with another landing planes
After setting her ship down with q
sputtering engine, the other, shih
landed across sher path, and shs
avoided . crash only by q beautifully
timed ground loop which spun her
plane out OF danger.
The Washington women took an
three prizes In the opening event, Q
spot landing contest. Mrs. Savage was
first, stopping only 10 feet from the
mark; Miss Helen Frigo, second, and
Miss Johanna Busse, chief Of the
thermometer division at the Bureau
Of Standards, third.
Mrs. Melba Beard Of California, who
with her husband recently completed
an aerial tour of Soviet Russia, took
first prize In the bomb dropping con-
test, planting q streamer- bearing sand
bag within 80 feet Of the circle. Miss
McCloskey took second prize IN this
event back to Pittsburgh, while Miss
Gardner was third.
Mrs. Beard took another FIRST prize
In the acrobatic. contest. with Miss
third, finishing In the same order aS
In the bomb dropping.
In the first local feminine inter.
city parachute jumping contest, Miss
Helen Frigo Of Washington won from
the veteran Ruby Harrell Warner of
Baltimore, who has more than $50
jumps to her credit. Mrs. Warner
not only missed the mark, but the
field as well, landing on the far side
Of q creek bordering the northeast
field boundary. A IRE truck was dis
patched to rescue her.
Association Sponsors Meet.
The meet was run under the aus
pices of the Washington Women Pilots
Association, especially organized for
the event. The association, which Is
expected to become q permanent body,
Is headed by Mrs. Savage as presi.
dent, with Miss Gardner as vice presi-
dent, Miss Frigo as secretary and Miss
Busse as treasurer.
Among the woman contestants were
four members of the California wom-
ems Air Reserve o seEni-imilitary unit
sponsored BY the State government
and intended TO provide reserve pilots
for transport and similar duties In
case Of emergency. The women, COM
misioned BY the. State government,
were headed by their commander, Mrs.
Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes.
Race oflcials IN charge Of the field
operations were Mrs. Phoebe Omlie,
referee; Jesse Landlord and A. Y.
veryille, starters; William Enyart.
timer; Chester II. Warrington, contest
chairman; J. Earl steinhauer, Harley
Clapsaddle and william Marsalis. field
marshals, and Mai. Gen. James e.
Fechet and Comdr. r. v. n. weems,
judges.