It is probably only a matter of time—two-time, that is—before pretty, 15-year-old Edith Anne Johnson of Buffalo, N.Y. achieves her first ambition: to become a speed skater of Olympic caliber. Last winter she won a bevy of city, state and regional titles on the ice, but at season's end, like many another girl in search of exercise, Edith took up bike riding.
Shortly thereafter Edith found herself pedaling toward the National Amateur Bicycle Racing Championship. Ted Smith, men's amateur all-round bike champion, recognized her potential, appointed himself her instructor. Another rooter was Gil Fenn, whose son is a cyclist. In the final race of the nationals Edith damaged her bike in a spill and seemed out of the race. Fenn quick-wittedly rolled a spare onto the track and, says Edith, "I just jumped on and started riding." She closed the distance and became the youngest woman to win the championship.
"Now," the two-timing champ confesses with a sidelong look at her first athletic love, "I think I like bike racing even better than skating."
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