COOK STRAIT SWIM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5374, 14 January 1929, Page 2

COOK STRAIT SWIM.

TRAINING WORK AT LYTTELTON.

MISS COPPLESiTONE’S EFFORT.

Miss Lily Coppiestone, o.f Ashburr ton, who will make an attempt to swim Cook 'Strait on January 19, is steadily fitting herself for, the big job she has on hand.

In a letter to Mr P. Coir.a, North Island representative of the New Zealand Swimming Association, Miss Copplestone states that she has been putting in the week-ends training in Lyttelton Harbour, and recently swam across, that harbour from Diamond Head to Corsair Bay. Miss Coppiestone will journey to Wellington this week, and, if the weatehr proves fine, will leave in a launch to s.tudy the course she will have to travel. If conditions are favourable on January 19, Miss Copplestone; will set out on her long, swim from Cape Koamani, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, at 2.30 o’clock .that morning.

The plucky girl swimmer is leaving no stone unturned to fit herself for the; stern task of crossing the Strait, and thus accomplishing ,what no male swimmer has yet been able to do. ■Miss Copplesto.ne is a strong swimmer, and everyone interested in the, pastime knows that she w.ill make a determined effort to. conquer, the Strait. Experienced swimmer’s;, however, declare that the worst obstacle the Ashburton girl will meet on her. journey will be the intense coldness of the water, which defeated Webster, the Auckland swimmer, when he attempted to swim across Cook Strait from the North Island side in February last. It is wqll known, however, that women can stand cold much better than men, and, if the currents should behave themselves on January 19, a New Zealand Venus may arise from the watersi of the Strait on the North Island sjd'e, with high laurels crowning her brow in the form, of brown seaweed.