Gertrude Ederle – The First Woman to Conquer the English Channel

Written by Margot Cleverly

In the 1920s, women fought for the right to vote, and sports remained a male domain. During this time, the daughter of a German butcher from Manhattan proved that gender meant nothing in confronting the elements. Her feat changed how the world perceived women’s capabilities.

Childhood by the Ocean

Gertrude Ederle was born in the fall of 1905 into an immigrant family that, like thousands of others, sought a better life in the United States. Her father supported the family by running a butcher shop in Manhattan, where hard work was a daily reality. Vacations spent by the ocean became a window to another world for the little girl – a world where she could feel free.

Swimming came naturally to her. Already in childhood, it was noticed that water was her element, and competition drove her to action. In an era when girls rarely practiced sports professionally, Gertrude’s parents did not limit her ambitions. This was a remarkable gesture in times when traditional gender roles were deeply rooted in society.

The early twenties brought her first successes. Training was intense, and competition grew with each season. The young swimmer quickly gained a reputation as an athlete whose determination matched her talent. In 1924, she had the chance to compete against the world’s best.

Olympics and a Record That Lasted Eight Decades

Paris in 1924 was the scene of Olympic competition, where Ederle won a gold medal in the relay and two bronze medals in individual events. For many, this would have been the pinnacle of their career, but she saw it as just the beginning. Olympic success opened doors to the world of long-distance swimming, where endurance mattered more than speed.

A year later, in June 1925, she undertook a journey that would write her name in history. She covered the distance of over 35 kilometers between Battery Park and Sandy Hook in just over seven hours. This feat was spectacular not only because of the time but also the conditions – the Atlantic Ocean does not forgive mistakes.

This record survived for over eight decades, which testifies to the scale of the achievement. In an era when training technology was primitive and knowledge of sports physiology limited, such results required not only physical strength but above all mental strength. Ederle proved that women could compete at the highest level in disciplines requiring extreme endurance.

This success, however, was only a prelude to the main challenge. The English Channel awaited, and with it the chance to enter history. Previously, only a handful of men had covered this route, and the water temperature and unpredictable currents made each attempt risky.

The English Channel – 14 Hours That Changed History

On the morning of August 6, 1926, Gertrude entered the icy water off the coast of France. The temperature was around 16 degrees Celsius – low enough to cause hypothermia after several hours. Her body was covered with a thick layer of petroleum jelly, oil, and lard, which was meant to protect against cold and jellyfish. This method, though primitive, was the only available form of protection.

For most of the route, she swam freestyle, a style that was relatively new in long-distance swimming at the time. Her predecessors preferred the breaststroke, considered more economical. Ederle proved that freestyle allows maintaining a higher pace over longer distances. This was a revolutionary choice that influenced the development of technique in this discipline.

After nearly 15 hours, she reached the English shore, beating the previous record by almost two hours. She was the first woman to accomplish this and faster than any man before her. News of her success circled the globe within hours. In an era when women were just beginning to fight for equal rights, her feat had symbolic significance.

Her return to the United States was triumphant. Over two million people took to the streets of New York to celebrate her success. President Calvin Coolidge personally received her, which was a rare honor. Ederle became not only a sports star but also an icon of the emancipation movement, although she rarely spoke on political topics.

Life After Triumph

Fame opened doors to show business for her. She appeared in a film, playing herself, and participated in numerous commercial ventures. However, popularity proved fleeting, and money quickly dissipated. The thirties brought health problems – a spinal injury confined her to bed for a long time.

Since childhood, she had hearing problems that deepened over the years. Around her fortieth year, she became completely deaf. For a person whose life was filled with the sounds of water and the cheers of fans, this must have been a difficult experience. She did not give up, however, and found a new calling.

She dedicated herself to teaching swimming to deaf children. Her own experience with disability allowed her to understand their challenges. This work brought her neither fame nor money, but it gave her a sense of purpose. In the silence that surrounded her, she found peace and satisfaction.

She never started a family, although the media repeatedly speculated about her private life. She died in 2003 at the age of 98, outliving most of her peers. She was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, far from the ocean that was once her home.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Margot Cleverly

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Margot's journey into women's history began with a box of forgotten letters in a Cambridge archive – suffragettes whose voices had been silenced for over a century. Since then, she's been on a mission to uncover the stories history overlooked.

What she writes about: Queens who ruled from the shadows. Scientists whose male colleagues took credit. Revolutionaries who risked everything. But also ordinary women – those who survived wars, raised families through upheaval, and shaped their communities in ways no one bothered to record.

Margot turns historical figures into real people. She writes with warmth and detail, making centuries-old stories feel surprisingly relevant. Rigorous research meets accessible storytelling – no dusty academic jargon, just compelling narratives backed by solid facts.

When she's not writing, you'll find her in regional archives, collecting oral histories, or visiting sites connected to the women she writes about.