Fame for superfish Palfrey
August 20th, 2009
TOWNSVILLE swimmer Penny Palfrey has been
all at sea and thrown to the sharks but now she
has been recognised internationally for her efforts.
The long-distance legend was rewarded by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame this month for two gruelling efforts in the past 12 months.
The first was a 45km swim through the Santa Barbara Channel, from San Miguel Island to the California mainland.
The world record swim took her 11hrs 29mins.
It was the first time anyone – man or woman – had swum the distance.
But more amazing was her second swim, through the Alenuihaha Channel, from Hawaii to Maui.
The last time anyone made it through that treacherous channel was 40 years ago – and it was a man.
And another male competitor attempted the same feat six days after Palfrey but he felt the bite.
”Another guy tried to do it soon after me and was bitten by a shark, he’s actually still recovering,” Palfrey said.
”Fortunately he is OK, but he spent a few weeks in hospital.
”The very rough conditions must have hid my splashes from the cookie cutter sharks.”
Palfrey rated the Hawaii swim as one of the toughest of her career and was honoured to have been inducted for both of her efforts.
”Both were tough but the one in Hawaii involved extreme conditions – the waves were between four and six metres – so they were really huge seas,” she said.
”The shortest distance (between islands) was 52km but because it was so rough and the tides were so strong there was no way they could get me in there.
”I was swimming and swimming and swimming and I could see myself going past the island – it took an extra 20km to get to a point where they could get me in.
”I’m very excited the International Marathon Hall of Fame has acknowledged both swims.