TO SWIM COOK STRAIT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16807, 21 November 1928, Page 10

TO SWIM COOK STRAIT

ASHBURTON GIRL'S PLAN An. attempt to swim Cook Strait wit] bo made by Miss Lily Copplestone, of Ashburton, - Die noted distanee swimmer, early next year. “It is going to bo pretty hard,” •stated Alias Copplestone, in announcing her intention. “The Strait is one of the roughest in the world, and the water is cold. These handicaps will be a serious disadvantage to me. There is also n difference of several hours in the tides on the 'South and .North Island coasts bordering the' Strait. There will be a great amount of training to be undertaken', but it is the matter of becoming accustomed to the water that 1 have seriously to consider. The' New Zealand championships will also be held early next year, hut my iitt'emjit will not clash with the fixture.” The start will be made from Die top of Queen Charlotte Sound, but the landing place will depend on the state of the tide.

At the beginning of this year Miss f'opplbstonn won Die Kellcrmari Cup for the New Zealand marathon race oyer a distance of three miles in the Otago harbor. She was the only lady competitor, and with a handicap of 2d minutes won comfortably, being 1(5 minutes ahead of the second competitor. During the past three years Miss Copplestone has held Die following Canterbury championships:—l4o yards ladies, 220 yards, 100 yards, 100

yards backstroke, and dhe ladies’ dive. She is a member of the Borough and Bast Ashburton Swimming ('lobs, and has been occupied in coaching members of Die former club. A similar interest will be shown in Die Bast. Ashburton Club when its season is opened. The attempt to swim the Strait has only once been made. Early this year R. J. Webster, of Auckland, was forced to abandon the endeavor on account of the intense coldness of the water, when within a few miles of his i, bjective.

There is also another aspirant to the honor of being the first swimmer 1.0 conquer the Strait. Miss .Mercedes Gleit//, wlm swam Hie - English Channel ami the Straits of Gibraltar, but who failed in an attempt to swim the Irish Sea, has notified her intention of attempting to swim Cook Strait varlv in ,! >i2!)'.