Tells the story of Gertrude Ederle's 1926 swim across the English Channel, describing how she overcame difficult environmental, physical, and cultural challenges to become the first woman to establish her historic record.

"Describes the careers of pioneering and influential women in swimming"--

As a child growing up in Australia, Annette Kellerman was a frail ugly duckling who dreamed of becoming a graceful ballerina. With courage and determination, she confronted a crippling illness to become an internationally known record-setting athlete who revolutionized the sport of swimming for women, a movie star who invented water ballet, and a fashion revolutionary who modernized the swimsuit.