Gertrude Ederle had her goggles sealed with paraffin to render them water tight. Gertrude possessed a contract from both the "New York Daily News" and "Chicago Tribune" when she attempted the Channel swim a second time. The money she received paid her expenses and provided her with a modest salary. It also gave her a bonus in exchange for exclusive rights to her personal story. The "Daily News" and the "Chicago Tribune" got the jump on every other newspaper in America. Another American swimmer in France in 1926 to try and swim the Channel was Lillian Cannon from Baltimore. She was also
Rose Pitonof Hook, New Jersey. On July 20, 1913, the tide was against her, and she was forced to abandon the attempt after two miles. On September 14, 1913, just a quarter of a mile away from her goal, Pitonof was taken into the boat due to an attack of cramps. She had been in the water 12 hours and 35 minutes. During the First World War, attempts at swimming the English Channel were curtailed. It was not until August 6, 1926, that Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to successfully cross the English Channel. On June 28, 1916, Pitonof married Doctor