On August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle departed from Cap Gris-Nez, France, at 07:08 a.m. to attempt a swim across the English Channel. Fourteen hours and 34 minutes later, she arrived at Kingsdown, Kent, having covered 35 miles due to adverse weather. This feat established her as the first woman to successfully complete the crossing.
Amateur Beginnings and Records
Raised in Manhattan, Ederle learned to swim in Highlands, New Jersey. She joined the Women's Swimming Association at age twelve, where head coach Louis Handley instructed her in the American crawl. She quickly emerged as a record-breaking talent, setting a world record in the 880-yard freestyle that same year. Between 1921 and 1925, she secured 29 United States national and world swimming records.
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At the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris, Ederle contributed to a gold medal performance in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay. Alongside teammates Euphrasia Donnelly, Ethel Lackie, and Mariechen Wehselau, she set a world record of 4:58.8 in the final. Additionally, she earned bronze medals in the individual 100-meter and 400-meter freestyle events.
Channel Crossing and Professionalism
Before her successful 1926 Channel swim, Ederle turned professional in 1925, completing a swim from Battery Park to Sandy Hook in 7 hours and 11 minutes. Her first attempt at the English Channel that same year ended in disqualification following a disagreement with coach Jabez Wolffe. After switching to coach Bill Burgess and securing funding from the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, she completed the crossing, arriving in Kent after a grueling 35-mile path through stormy conditions.
Later Life and Recognition
Following her return to the United States, Ederle participated in vaudeville and appeared in the film Swim Girl, Swim. A spinal injury from a fall in 1933 hampered her later career. Having struggled with hearing loss since childhood due to measles, she spent much of her life teaching swimming to deaf children. Ederle died in Wyckoff, New Jersey, in 2003 and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1905, New York City
- Died: 2003, Wyckoff
- Olympic Medals: 1 Gold, 2 Bronze
- English Channel swim time: 14 hours, 34 minutes
- Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery
- National Women's Hall of Fame induction: 2003
Questions readers ask
How many world records did Ederle set during her career?
She held 29 United States national and world records between 1921 and 1925.
What path did Ederle take for her professional 1925 swim?
She swam from Battery Park to Sandy Hook in 7 hours and 11 minutes.
