The races among the elite professional marathon swimmers in contemporary times often come down to the very end. Sprinting to the finish, the athletes are separated by only seconds after hours of racing.

However things change in the open water swimming world, they also tend to stay the same.

Back in 1902 at the Amateur Athletic Union national championships in Travers Island, the top athletes set the stage for close racing among that era’s elite. After 1 hour 7 minutes in a light rain and against a strong current, there was less than a meter separating the top men: E.C. Schaeffer, Charles Ruberl, W.C. Miller, and Fred Wenck. The field raced in the creek near the New York Athletic Club where the championships also featured a 100-yard and 880-yard competition.

Schaeffer had defended his Amateur Athletic Union national swimming championship titles. In 1901, he also won close battles winning the 440-yard race in Park Lake in Buffalo, New York.

Source: New York Times, 21 September 1902

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