. ▁She ▁started ▁sw imming ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 5 ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁sw imming ▁club . ▁She ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁good ▁competition ▁sw immer ▁but ▁excel led ▁in ▁end urance ▁sw imming , ▁which ▁had ▁become ▁popular ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 , ▁she ▁sw am ▁ 1 8   km ▁on ▁open ▁sea ▁from ▁S na pt un ▁to ▁H ors ens ▁in ▁H ors ens ▁F j ord ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁ 2 5   km ▁from ▁L angel and ▁to ▁K ors ør . ▁Her ▁talent ▁was ▁discovered ▁and ▁a ▁Dan ish ▁newspaper ▁spons ored ▁her ▁for ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁long ▁distance ▁sw imm ings . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁was ▁working ▁at ▁a ▁factory ▁but ▁decided ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁new ▁challeng es . ▁The ▁first ▁goal ▁was ▁a ▁sw im ▁of ▁ 4 2   km ▁across ▁the ▁Kat te gat ▁from ▁G n iben ▁to ▁Gren aa ▁in ▁the ▁Dan ish ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea , ▁the ▁longest ▁any ▁woman ▁had ▁sw im med ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁She ▁had ▁to ▁quit ▁this ▁attempt ▁on ▁advice ▁from ▁the ▁doctor ▁in ▁the ▁supporting ▁vehicle . ▁The ▁next ▁month ▁she ▁succeeded ▁though ▁after ▁having ▁changed ▁medical ▁ad visor . ▁ ▁Me eting ▁with ▁Naz ism ▁After ▁her ▁crossing ▁of ▁Kat te gat ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁she ▁was ▁celebrated ▁in ▁Den mark ▁and