Undaunted by Canterbury Girl's Non-Success, Webster will again Attempt the Cook Strait Swim

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 583, 8 February 1929, Page 7

Undaunted by Canterbury Girl's Non-Success, Webster will again Attempt the Cook Strait Swim

WHAT ARE WEBSTER'S CHANCES?—NOT FAVOURED IN WELLINGTON—AUCKLANDER WILL HAVE PRELIMINARY TEST ON SUNDAY WILL START STRAIT SWIM IN DAYLIGHT—SAYS COLD WILL BE HIS GREATEST ENEMY.

STUNT swim, or no stunt swim, Aucklander Ronald Webster's second attempt on Cook Strait will attract attention throughout New Zealand. Whenever a swimmer announces that he is going to swim some channel or other these days, people the world over are interested, but their interest is invariably tinged with the suspicion that there may be a degree of pub-licity-seeking in the swim. One or two flagrant cases of publicity-hunting in English Channel swims have made the public surprisingly cautious. Webster has the distinction of being the only New Zealand swimmer who lias established for himself performances which justify his attempt on a course which is likely to prove too gruelling. There is no small degree of doubt as to whether Lily Copplestone. the Ashburton girl, was properly fitted for attempting the swim. Her courage cannot be disputed. Her performance did not come up to expectations. She trained for her attempt on Cook Strait, but, did she train sufficiently? What ocean swims, comparing even mildly with the crossing of Cook Strait, did she have? As for Webster, he has not done anything remarkable in ordinary baths competition. Behind him instead, is a good record of endurance swims. While Miss Copplestone had the protection of grease and goggles in her recent attempt, Webster, when he tailed last year under worse swimming conditions, had no such protection. He stayed in the water twice as long as Miss Copplestone and covered eight miles. WEBSTER TRAINED This season has seen him preparing in a way not approached by the Canterbury girl. Big swims off Milford and Takapuna beaches, a swim from Rangitoto to the mainland, a swim of ten miles in rough water from Arkle’s Bay to Milford and a harbour swim have tested his powers. And, before he was fixed for an attempt on Cook Strait, he was entered for the distance race for the Annette Kellerman Cup and also planned to swim across Wellington Harbour. The essential distinction between Webster and Miss Copplestone is that the Aucklander is an endurance swimmer, while Miss Copplestone has a creditable record in competition. Sheer courage and faith in her endurance led her to try the Strait. For her courage alone, her attempt made an impression on the public. So far. New Zealand has not been troubled by publicity-hunters. Should Cook Strait prove bait to outsiders, it it not likely that they would come all the way to New Zealand without the notion of making a serious attempt. Interviewed in Wellington by The Sun's correspondent, Webster said: “We shall discover how best to swim Cook Strait shortly and then it will probably be quite a common occurrence to hear that the Strait has been swum by some venturesome swim-

“I realise that my greatest enemy will be the cold, but I do not intend to let this stop me making the attempt. I shall remain in Wellington awaiting suitable weather and a favourable tide. 1 have not yet decided which Island I shall start from, and ms’ decision will depend on circumstances, the same applying to the course I shall pursue. Of one thing I am certain, and that is that 1 shall start in daylight so as to have the benefit of a warm sun. I think I can do the distance in seven or eight hours, and this being the case there would be no advantage in night swimming with all its inconveniences. I understand that the tide runs at about eight knots, and if this is true then I should be able to cover the

distance in the time I have stated. Even with daylight swimming my greatest enemy will be the cold, but I intend to cover myself with a speci.%l preparation of grease which I hope and expect will militate against this difficulty.”

As a preliminary to his swim across the Strait Webster intends to swim across Wellington Harbour, from Hay’s Bay to the city wharves, a distance of seven miles. This will take place on Sunday morning, and should take about four or five hours under favourable conditions. There are no known instances of the harbour having been previously crossed by a swimmer though Colonel Freyberg, V.C., who is a native of Wellington, once attempted to do so and got as far as just off Kaiwarra, but owing to bad weather had to desist. It is more than probable that a Maori crossed in this manner in the old days, but there is no definite record. WEBSTER’S PROSPECTS

It is a fact that Webster is an unknown figure to many Aucklanders. His public appearances are few and far between, and the only time he showed himself in competition this season was when he entered in t%e Ponsonby Swimming Club’s harbour race in mid-January. Webster has been training quietly on the North Shore beaches. His swims have been watched by his trainer, Mr. M. Blomlield, who has great faith in Webster’s powers, and a few members of the Takapuna Surf Club. While Webster is the personification of confidence he cannot be anything but alive to the obstacles to be overcome in his' big venture.

In Wellington, not much optimism is apparent over Webster’s chances. Wellingtonians were ever sceptical, but Webster certainly has .a big hurdle to clear. At the beginning of the season, he had no very serious intention to try the Strait a second time. But when he found himself in excellent form after several big swims in Auckland, he was encouraged. Support was forthcoming from swimming enthusiasts and Aucklanders, particularly Takapuna residents, and Webster has been given his chance. It must be acknowledged that his stroke is extraordinarily powerful, although he is no stylist, and his endurance is remarkable He has a sporting chance, and it would be too much to say that Webster cannot swim Cook Strait. Not even Wellington critics will go to that extent. There was tremendous enthusiasm in Christchurch over Miss Copplestones’ plans. There was an equivalent slump when she failed. “My hat will go off to whoever swims the Strait,” Miss Copplestone said after her plucky, but rather hopeless attempt. Outside Christchurch there was scant confidence in Miss Copplestone’s powers. Similarly, outside those who really know what Webster has done there is little hope of success. Only a small percentage of Aucklanders, even, seriously believes that he will go anywhere close to success. This, when Aucklanders realise that he covered eight miles of the Strait without preparation or protection last year, and this year is trained to an excellent pitch. If Webster fails badly, then hopes of crossing Cook Strait will probably be quashed for some time. There was to have been a third in the Cook Strait field this season; Mercedes Gleitze—the London girl. New Zealanders were rather looking forward to the surprise she w r ould get when she reached the Dominion and found that the waters in the Strait were most decidedly not warm. Miss Gleitze ended all the anticipated humour. however, by the simple procedure of becoming engaged, and it was only after she had announced her indention of coming to New Zealand that Miss Copples'one came forward to uphold New Zealand’s reputation.