Wednesday 30 May 2012

this actually makes me lol

Gertrude Ederle

Gertrude Ederle ( the 'Queen of the Waves') was the first woman to swim across the English channel, in 1926 at age 20. On her first attempt in 1925 she was disqualified after another swimmer had to rescue her when she was found floating face down (she vehemently denied drowning). On her second attempt, during her twelfth hour at sea, her trainer was so concerned by unfavorable winds that he called to her 'Gertie, you must come out!' She lifted her head from the choppy waters and replied, 'What for?' Ederle walked up the beach at Kingsdown, England after 14 hours and 39 minutes.