Channel Swim.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

Channel Swim.

Manchester Gill's Feat.—Nearly Sixteen Hours In Water.

For tlio first time since lil:<0 the Eii". lisli Channel was conquered on Au'mn

29, and again a woman swimmer per formed the feat.

Miss Sunny Lowry. a • 22-year-old Manchester girl, succeeded at'her third attempt, in crossing from Cap Gris Xez to South Foreland in 15J hours. She started from Cap Gris Xez at G. 30 on a Monday, evening, and landed after lie? great all-night swim at 1.0.15 on the following morning.

Miss Lowry made a gallant attempt to cross from Dover in August last vear but gave up owing to the cold, after being in the water for fourteen hours.

In .Tulv this year, in an effort from Cap Gris Xez, she was forced to yield after six hours' swimming.

On landing at the South Foreland Mini Lowry said she would not make another attempt this year, but next season sinintended to capture the time record of 141 i 34m set up by Miss Gertrude Ederl s in 1920.

Mr. Jabez Wolffe. who trained Jlis» Lowry for her great effort, said she would have beaten Miss Ederle's record had it not been for the conditions that had to be contended "with in the last mile, which took about five hours to cover. "The sea became very choppy, and it "was a struggle to get along," he said.

Miss Lowry Is the eighteenth swimmer and the eighth "woman to conquer the Channel, The seven previous successes"by women were: —

Misa Gertrude Ederle (August 6, 192 C), 141) 34m.

Mrs. M. G. Corson (August 28, 1926), 151 i 28m.

Miss Mercedes Gleitze (October 7, 1927), 15h 15m.

Miss Ivy Gill (October 13, 1927), 15h 9m.

Miss Ivy Hawke N (August 18, 1925), 10b 10m.

Miss Hilda Sharp (August 24, 1925), 14h 58m.

Miss Peggy Duncan (September 10, 1930), 1 Oil 17m.

In the same week as Miss Lowrv made her crossing Mr. Adrian Kanaar, a Bart's Hospital student, failed in his second attempt. He started from Cap Gris Xcz at 0 o'clock in the morning, and, making good progress, was reported to be about seven miles off St. Margaret's Bay at .'3.15 in the afternoon. At that time he was 'being carried with tlio tide in a westerly direction toward.! Dover, and appeared to be swimming strongly. Later in the evening, however, he was compelled to abandon tlie attempt, when approximately two miles oil ilie Shakespeare Beach to the, west of Dover. He had been in the water thirteen hours.

Last year Mr. Kanaar was within a milo and a quarter of the English coast when he was forced to give up owing to a thunderstorm.