COOK STRAIT BID.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1929, Page 10

COOK STRAIT BID.

DETAILS OF THE COURSE. MISS COPPLESTONE’S PLANS. Miss Lily Copplestonc, of Ashburton, •who is about to attempt to swim Cook Strait, spent a few days in Marlborough last • week completing her arrangements -for the effort on January 19. Miss Coppestone will enter the •water at Cape Koamaru, at the main entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound, and will strike -out for the North Island, which is about 21 miles distant at this point. Mi.R» Copplestonei stated in Blenheim last week that she had hoped during her visit to have inspected Cape Koamaru 'and the scene- of the swim, but the bad weather prevented -this -being done. However, thanks to Captain Fish, of the Tamahiue, and to Captain Barnsdaie, -the harbourmaster at Picton, she had been able to secure a very -good knowledge of the tides in the strait. The course recommended by Captain Fish is from Cape Koamaru past the Awash Rocks to a- point 10j miles south-west of the cape. It is expected that the iswimmer will reach this point in about six and a half hours, in which case she, will encounter theire the turn of the tide. She will then' change her course north-east and swim in that direction for 8 miles, and the turn of the next tide should find her about two and a half -miles from the North Island coast, off Ohaoa Point, just north of Cape Terawhiti. If a<ll goes well the swim should be accomplished in 134 hours-. Miss Coppies tone will endeavour to swim at the rate of one and a quarter miles an hour for the first five hours, a mile an hqur for the; next five hours, and three-quar-ters of a mile an hour for the last three and a half hours. For part of the journey her manager, Mr T. F. Hartigan, of Christchurch, will swim, with her.

Miss Copplestone has been training regularly lately, swimming about two miles every day. On Boxing Day she .swam frem Diamond Harbour to Lyttelton, a distance of about four miles. According to the chart sent by Captain Pish the currents will be in Miss Copplestone’s favour, and in the opinion of her trainer, Mr L. Moorhouse, the chill of the water is the only thing that is likely to cause her failure. It is stated by Miss Copplestone that Mr Moorhouse, who. has just returned from the Olympic Games at Amsterdam, has effected a< great improvement in her stroke, and she is. at presnt in tip-top condition. She antiiepates commencing to. swim about 2 a.m. on January 19, and will be accompanied by Mr Hartley’s launch and probably by the fishing boat Marete. She left fox hex return last week, and will compete there in a swimming carnival on January 16. She expects to be. back in Blenheim on January 17. Miss Copplestone was formerly a well-known Christchurch swimmer, but for the last 18 months she has lived in Ashburton.

According to Maori legend Cook Strait has ‘been swum on two' occasions. The authenticity ‘of this, however, is doubtful, amd since the days of the white man no swimmer has accomplished the feat. On February 4 of last year, Mr R. J. Webster, a young Auckland swimmer, made the attempt, -but the coldness of the water f orced him to desist after swimming nearly two-thirds thci distance. FIXTURES. Jan. 19—Fitzroy Club Carnival (mile centre championship). Jan. 26—Taranaki Centre Championships, at New Plymouth. Feb. I—-Hawera Club Carnival. Feb. 13 —Hawera' Club Carnival. Feb. 27 —Hawera Club Carnival. Mar. 13—Hawera Club Carnival.