A TEN-MILE SWIM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13268, 27 April 1905, Page 5

A TEN-MILE SWIM.

(From Qui: Own Coukespoxdint.)

MELBOURNE, April 12. Miss Annette Kcllerinan, the lady swimmer, who intends leaviug for England at the end of the month for tho purpose of attempting to break existing long-distance re. cords there, indulged in a 10-mile jaunt down the Yarra yesterday, from the rapids hear Johnston street bridge to Princes Bridge. As a matter or. fnct,. tho exact distance traversed was 10{ miles, the journey occupying 4hr 52min: the last five miles being responsible for 3hr ISmin of tho time. The comparative slowness of the last half of the distance, as compared with tho first, was caused by the tide and wiud being against the swimmer. For a couple of miles, after passing Sandy Point, the water was very choppy owins to the wind, and experls doubted whether Miss Kellermann would he able to outlast the unfavourable conditions. The first 5J- miles were covered in lhr 33min, which is 15min inside tho swimmer's own record for five miles, which shs put up in Januarv of this year. ;

Miss Iwllcrmann ioolc tlio water at 10.50, and, swimming strongly, covered u mile and a-half in 30min, and 25min later Victoria street bridge was passed. To reach Bridge road, Richmond, occupied ihr Umin, and Hawthorn railway bridge lhr 24miu. Swan street railway bridge, representing a distance of 5| miles, was.pas-red fiiniii later. Twickenham Ferry was reached in 2hr 31min, and Burnley Ferry in ?.hr 51min. Eicht miles wcro covered in 3hr 17min, and then choppy wsler was oncoimtemd, and progress was slower. A number of people on each side of the bank kept pace with the swimmer, encouraging her with applause at intervals. Miss Kellermaun used the double overarm stroke.keening.** even 12 to the minute from the lime'she started until the finishing point was reached. As she turned tlio last bend of the river to Princes bridge a Jarao crowd collected, and repeatedly cheered her. She reached the bride*, at 3.42 p.m.. the journey bavin*; occupied 4hr 52min. When taken out of the water s)ie was naturally tired hy her notable effort, hut she was bv no means exhausted. ' , There is no previous rccard of a. 10-mile swim, aw! therefore it is impossible to instatute any comparison between Miss Kcilermamrs prowess as a swimmer and that of any other, It is stated that tnoro lhan 20 years aeo Cavill, ilic father of the famous New South Wales swimmer, covered tli" same course on the Tarra as Miss Keller" jnann, but on that occasion no time was taicon. Ihe fact that he was clothed in an mdiaiubber suit as protection amimst the cold, and had paddles fastened to bis hands to assist propulsion, detracts from his performance.