CHANNEL SWIM

Grey River Argus, 7 August 1925, Page 8

CHANNEL SWIM

COLONEL FREYBERG. NEARLY GETS THERE. LONDON, Aug. 5. Colonel B, C. Freyberg, V.C., (a New Zealander) who started a Cha i ncl swim from Capo Gris Nez at 8.21 last night, was compelled to give up half a mile from the English shore at Kiugsdown at one in the afternoon. He was abreast of St. Margaret’s Bay at 12.30, but was exhausted and unable to mike headway, although sheltered by an accompanying tug. He once drifted buc-k for thirty yards. The occupants of boat cheered end shouted, “Not that way, oid fellow!” but his condition was such that he did not appear to understand. SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR! NEW ZEALANDER GETS UNDER DOVER CLIFFS. LONDON, Aug. 5. “Tiny” Freyberg was under the shadow of the cliffs when he gave up. He seemed certain to succeed, but finished utterly exhausted, making no headway and being unable to understand the directions from the boat. He had bad luck to just miss the tide which might have carried him to the shore. It would have been necessary to stay another four hours in the water so he accepted his friends’ advice to abandon the effort. Freyberg who is serving in the Grenadier Guards, has been swimming daily at a well-known West Club swimming bath. H c was anxious to boat Ihe record of sixteen hours twentythree minutes Tirabosehi established, in 1923. He was in the water for 17 hours. His present feat is a curious contrast to his swim of the Gulf of Saros when with skin painted khaki ; he won the D.S.O. for lighting flares to draw the Turkish fire. THE FRENCH WOMAN'S GREAT EFFORT. LONDON, August 5. The Channel swimming season commenced sensationally. Madame. Sion, after a very plucky struggle, and display of wonderful endurance, was beaten by the coldness of the water She entered the wat»r at Cape Grisnez this morning to swim the Channel. She was compelled to abandon her attempt at 9.40 in the evening, when 'only a mile and a-quartcr from Dover, owing to the effects of the coolness of the wat er. Madame Sion was badly stung on the legs and arms by a shoal of jelly fish, which were of exceptional size with three tentacles. Madame several times cried out in alarm at the jellyfish. Her chief food was chocolate and tea from a feeding bottle. Floating on a cork, she was reluctant to leave the water, as she was not utterly exhausted, but yielded to her husband's persuasions. She recovered quickly, and intends a second attempt on Monday. AMERICAN GIRLS TO TRY. LONDON, August 5. Miss Gertrude Ederle and Mrs Lilian Harrison will on Saturday together attempt to swim the English Channel from the French side.