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Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2013.55.44 B |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Cindy Nicholas Interview |
Scope & Content |
Cindy Nicholas interview, 6 November 2006. Digitized MP4 from Sony 40 Advanced ME DVCAM. Viewing time 00:31:44. 01:00Childhood: started swimming competitively at age 5 ½, played all sports, volleyball favourite 01:30Why swimming: like training, competition, individual nature of the sport, as got better enjoyed it more 02:01Sport idols: Elaine Tanner, saw her at the 1968 Olympic Games, Cindy's original dream was to go to the Olympics; Mark Spitz 02:47On going from a pool to Lake Ontario: had a knack for swimming the longer distances, did a negative split in the 800m and still had energy left, wanted to go further in the pool; in the summer swan long distances races, her first was in Lake Couchichng for 3 ½ miles, placed in top 15, at age 8-9; starting to do swims of 1-3 miles; her father talked about Marilyn Bell swimming Lake Ontario & they decided she would try, did it in record time of 15+ hours; media asked her what was next and she said she would like to try the English Channel 04:42How to prepare for the Lake Ontario swim: training with her club 4 hrs per day over 10 years with 4 miles in each workout = good condition, swam in Lake Rosso for outdoor experience, adjustment from pool to lake - no line on the bottom as in a pool, waves, no ropes to follow, had to lift head to see the other side 06:11Where did you start & finish? It had been 20 years since Bell had swum the lake; everyone had started from Youngstown, NY so that were they went, finished at the CNE 07:20Time of day: started at 2:30am, start in dark to get the greatest amount of light during the swim, "in my mind I was looking to break a record"; they were very unorganized and her father used a compass to direct them 08:27Attire: limited to bathing suit, bathing cap & goggles 09:10Perils: 5 foot waves, seaweed, jellyfish, night, cold, bad tides, lampreys, getting all in the one swim was pretty tough 09:58Food: first time used a stick with a glass on the end, most of the food is liquid; now they use nutrient drinks; stick very impractical in the Channel, someone would hang over the side of the boat and hand her the glass, not allowed to touch the boat or get into the boat or touch people, would tread water for 5 seconds while drinking 12:24On being in a large body of water: peaceful, tranquil, exciting with things to contend with, found comfort there, never scared in the night swim, sometimes hit by debris in the Channel swims, could not look at other boats in the Channel as they were distractions, along with your own thoughts and swimming; (13:22) talks about pool swimmers not liking the marathon swims, "you have to develop a talent, have to want to do long distances and you have to be comfortable with it" 14:20After the swim, what did you do? Landed at 5:40 in the evening, almost fainted because she was standing up after being horizontal for hours, learned her lesson and to take her time in standing up; did lots of media interviews, then went home 16:04Preparation for the English Channel: had learned from the Lake Ontario swim, had to book a fishing vessel for her boat, can only swim during the times of the neap tides, need good weather, arrange with the Channel Swimming Association to have observer on boat, pay fee, very organized 17:41Almost every swim had her parents there; father was a swimmer but her mother was not, she was nurse and made sure she was safe 18:44Lake Ontario: did you ever think of quitting? Never; frustrated near the end as there was a flotilla of boats and some would cross her line of vision, she wanted to see the short, but it was great having them there and they kept her spirits high 19:59Why swim the Channel 19 times? On first swim set a record, first swim was France to England so wanted to England to France & then do it faster & then do it 2-way, then wanted title Queen of the English Channel and just continued; on the 2-way swim she could have rested on shore for 5 minutes but she never took advantage of the rule, the hardest part was getting away from the rocks to start back because of the swell 23:00On marathon swimming: a lot of men do it, they are stronger and faster but she could wear them out, broke the male record on her swim, the colder the water gets, the better women excel because of the layer of fat, can take the cold a little better 24:18Nile swim: attending law school at the time; her father signed her up, went with the current one way and against the other, got a sunburn, was dirty, exhausted, illness from contact with the water, $272.00 cdn prize money, swam for 11 hours but got to see Egypt 26:30Other swims: World Marathon Swim tour in small towns in Quebec, people from all over the world, did Channel swim at the end of the circuit; talks about Sheller Bay in Gaspe Peninsula, very cold water, ready to give up; wanted to do Catalina, Juan de Fuca, Cook Strait but could only swim when it would not interfere with her education 28:47Is there a natural limit: felt her limit was 25 hours, always swam for speed and to get to the other side as fast as possible; talks about other swimmers that can do 40+ hours 29:50You get recognition for doing something no one else has ever done or by breaking a record |
Date |
2006/11/06 |
People |
Nicholas, Cindy Bell, Marilyn Tanner, Elaine |
Search Terms |
Interview Cindy Nicholas Swimming Marathon swimming Women in sport aquatics |