Wrigley Swim

At Toronto, Ont., tens of thousands of sportsfolk and natives last week strained and scrambled to get a look at 45 thickly greased women, some with sketchy swimming suits, some with none, as they dove into the cool waters of Lake Ontario, swam away around a two-mile rectangular course. Before the first lap was circled. Swimmer Vivian Lee Welsh screamed, thrashed, floundered in the water. A large lamprey eel had fastened its horny teeth into her side. Shuddering with fright, writhing with cramps, she was lifted into a Red Cross rescue boat. At the end of the first lap Martha Norelius of New York, 1928 Olympic champion lately turned professional, led, with Ruth Tower of Toronto, within splashing distance. After four more laps exhausted competitors were being lifted into escorting boats.

At the end of the tenth and final mile, strong, blonde Miss Norelius led Miss Tower by 300 yards. She won $10,000, Miss Tower $3,000--their share of $15,000 prize money supplied by William Wrigley Jr., Chicago gum man, who got the idea of swimming marathons two years ago and, with $25,000 prize money, induced 150 competitors to try swimming the 20 miles from Santa Catalina Island across San Pedro Channel to the California coast (TIME, Jan. 24, 1927).