Ernst Vierkoetter
Ernst Vierkoetter of Cologne, Germany was a German open water swimmer. Nicknamed the Black Shark, he was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978 as an Honor Swimmer.
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Open Water Swimming[edit]
- On 30 August 1926, he became the fastest person to cross the 33.5 km English Channel - besting the record by almost two hours with his France-England crossing time of 12 hours 40 minutes.
- At the age of 26, he won the first Canadian National Exhibition professional marathon swim over 174 swimmers from around the world. He finished the 21-mile course in 11 hours 45 minutes in water that ranged from 44°-48°F (6.7°-8.9°C) and was dubbed by his nickname, the "Black Shark" for his exploits.
- He placed second in the 1928 Canadian National Exhibition race.
- He placed fifth in the 1930 Canadian National Exhibition race.
- He moved from Germany to Toronto and opened a swimming instruction school, and, until the time of his death on 13 December 1967, acted as coach of the Baraca Club and served as an official of the Canadian National Exhibition Swims.
- He participated in the 1927 Lake George Marathon Swim.
International Professional Swimmers Association[edit]
Vierkoetter was a member of the International Professional Swimmers Association founded in 1927 in New York City.
International Professional Swimmers Association[edit]
The International Professional Swimmers Association was an international association organized on 21 September 1927 at the Hotel McAlpin in Manhattan, New York with its headquarters in New York City. The Association planned to issue a monthly publication to authenticate and keep records of a professional swimming events and to foster swimming throughout the world as an international sport.
Its officers included:
- William Wrigley, Jr., Honorary President
- Captain George H. Maines, Active President
- William Burgess of Dover, England, Vice President
- Elwood Hughes of Toronto, Canada, Vice President
- C. Compton of Long Beach. California, Vice President
- Lou Timson of Boston, Massachusetts, Secretary and Treasurer
Its Board of Governors consisted of:
- Edward Keating of New York
- William Erickson of New York
- Byron Summers of San Francisco
- Lottie Schoemmell of Lake George, New York
- Eva Morrison of Boston, Massachusetts
- Ernst Vierkoetter of Berlin, Germany
- Paul Chotteau of Paris, France
- William Sadlo Jr. of New York
- Ethel Hertle of New York
- Mobile Bill Jackson of Mobile, Alabama
- Leo Purcell of San Francisco, California
- May Elwell of Revere, Massachusetts
- Sam Swartz of Glens Falls, New York
- Captain T. W. Sheffield of Balboa, California
- Johnny Walker of Toronto, Canada
- Olaf Farstadt of Norway
- Ernst M. Smith of San Francisco, California
- Charles Toth of Boston, Massachusetts
- Henry Sullivan of Lowell, Massachusetts
- James Burns of New York
- Edith Hedin of Toronto, Canada
- Harold "Stubby" Kruger of Hawaii
- Georges Michel of Paris, France
- Norman Ross of Chicago, Illinois
- Clarence Ross of New York
- George Young of Toronto, Canada, Associate Member for Life
- Gertrude Ederle, Associate Member for Life
- Millie Gade Corson, Associate Member for Life
External links[edit]
- Georges Michel Honored by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- Swimming Across Lake George, The Most Beautiful Lake In The World
- A Treasure Writes The Treasures Of The CNE
- Ernst Vierkoetter, Swimming As The Black Shark
- Third Time Was A Charm In Canada For Margaret Ravior And Marvin ‘Duke’ Nelson
- Open Water Swimming
- Kiwi Crossing: Twice As Old, Twice As Fast
- Back In Time: In 1977 With The Channel Swimming Association
- International Professional Swimming Association Drew Stars
- International Professional Swimmers' Association Organized
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame website
- Solo Swims of Ernest Vierkoetter
- English Channel world record progression
- What Are Swimmers Known As?
- The Swimming Grandfather Set Stage For The 21st Century
- Precursor Of The Future, 1930 Canadian National Exhibition
- The Black Shark Handled CNE's Cold Water
- World Open Water Swimming Association