WELLINGTON GIRL MAY TRY COOK STRAIT SWIM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 572, 26 January 1929, Page 7

WELLINGTON GIRL MAY TRY COOK STRAIT SWIM

MISS COPPLESTONE’S CAREER NO NEWS OF MISS GLEITZE (From Our Resident Reporter) WELLINGTON, Friday. A great deal of attention was aroused in Wellington, as well as in other parts of the Dominion, at the news that Miss Lily Copplestone was to attempt to swim Cook Strait, and the fact that adverse weather conditions had temporarily postponed the attempt lias been the cause of general disappointment. It is not generally known that Miss Copplestone is a competitive swimmer of some note in the Canterbury district. As a junior she won the : 75 yards and the 100 yards champion - ships of Canterbury, and the same year she represented Canterbury at the New Zealand championships. This early promise has been well fulfilled, and Miss Copplestone has performed on many occasions exceedingly well, having won provincial championships of different kinds, thus proving her versatility as a swimmer. The fact that she has won the Annette Ke.lerman Cup is an indication that she is a distance swimmer of con .derable talent, and thei'efore well fitted among all the lady swimmers of New Zealand to be the first of her sex to attempt to swim Cook Strait. It is rumoured in Wellington, however, that Miss Copplestone is not to be the only one to attempt this hitherto unassailable task, as it is stated that another lady, a resident of Wellington, also intends to essay the cross! t Added to this is a report from Auck ! land that Ron Webster, who failed in ! his attempt last February owing to i the coldness of the water, is to “give it { another go.” New Zealanders are likely to have I the swim to themselves for a while, as ! it is understood that Miss Mercedes j Gleitze, who was expected to reach the i Dominion on the Corinthic, but who has not so far shown up, has given up the idea for the time being, though she may make an attempt next summer provided no one is successful in the meantime.