CHANNEL SWIM

Evening Star, Issue 23094, 21 October 1938, Page 13

CHANNEL SWIM

TWO MORE GROSSINGS SUCCESSES' 1 TO DATE At the end of August the arduous feat of crossing the English Channel whs successfully undertaken by two swimmers, a German, Frau Bruna Wendell, and a London gardener, Fernley Wheatcroft, aged 42. Conditions were favourable on leaving the French coast, but on approaching Dover, visibility was bad, and one of the few people who saw her land stated that it was clear that Frau Wendell had been fighting a strong adverse current on approaching the English Coast. Four days later Wheatcroft made his successful effort. Starting from Cap Grisnez at 9.10 a.m., he reached the English beach at Abbotts Cliff, near Folkstone, at 10.45 p.m., 13hours 35 minutes. During the last half hour of his swim heavy rain fell, Mr Wheatcroft stated that the water was calm and warm, and the temperature _ more favourable than when he made Ins unsuccessful attempt on July 22, when ho was in the water for about nine hours. The records show that the Channel had been swum on 22 occasions prior to last August. Fastest time for a man—ll hours 5 minutes—was made by Georges Michel, in 1926. _ The woman’s record—l 4 hours 31 minutes —is held by Miss Gertrude Ederle. The list of successful swimmers, arranged in order of the time occupiedin mossing, is as follows: Georges Michel, France (Grisnez to Dover), September 10, 1926, llh smin. Hans Vierkotter, Cologne (Grisnez to Dover), August 30, 1926, 12h 40min. T. Blower, England (Grisnez to Dover), August 14, 1937, 13h 29min. Norman L Derham, England (Grisnez to - Dover), September 17, 1926, 13h 65min. E. H. Terame, England (Grisnez to Dover), August 5, 1927, 14h 29min. Gertrude Ederle, U.S.A. (Grisnez to Dover), August 6, 1926, 14h 34min. Frau Emme Faber, Germany (Grisnez to Dover), August 18, 1934, 14h 40min. Haydon Taylor, England (Grisnez to Dover), August 23, 1935, 14h 48min. ' Hilda Sharp, England (Grisnez to Deal), August 24, 1928, 14h 58min. Ivy Gill, England (Grisnez to Dover), October 13, 1927, 15h 9min. Mercedes Gleitz, England (Grisnez to Deal), October 7, 1927, 15h 15min. Mrs Corson, U.S.A (Grisnez to Dover), August 28, 1926, 15s 28min. Miss Sunny Lowry, England (France to Dover), August 29, 1933, 16h 41min. E. H. Temrae, England (Dover to Grisnez), August 18, 1934, 15h 54mm. Peggy Duncan, South Africa (Grisnez to' S. Foreland), September 10, 1930, ICh ISmin. S. Tirabosch, Argentina (Calais to Shakespeare Cliff), August 12, 1923, 16h 33min. C Toth, Boston, U.S.A. (Grisnez to Dover), September 9, 1923, ICh 64mm. Ivy Hawke, England (Grisnez to Deal), August 19, 1928, 19h 16min. Captain Webb. England (Dover to Calais), August 25, 1875, 21h 45min. T. W. Burgess, England (Dover to Calais), September 6. 1911, 22b 35min. Hplm.v, Egypt (Grisnez to Folkestone), September 1, 1928, 23h 40min. H. Sullivan, England (Dover to Calais), August C, 1923, 27h 2omin.