The Full Story
About
I am passionate about all things open-water swimming with a special interest in ultra-marathon swimming, which is generally defined as any open-water swim equal to or greater than 20 kilometres in distance. I've had the great privilege of completing the New Zealand Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming - made up of Cook Strait, Lake Taupo, and Foveaux Strait - a challenge that only 10 people have completed across history.
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In April 2022, I undertook the first ever double-crossing of the Poor Knights, swimming from Matapouri Beach to the Poor Knights and back - a combined distance of approximately 45 kilometres.
And in early May 2023, I completed the longest, unassisted, continuous open-water swim in New Zealand's history - a distance of almost 100 kilometres from Karaka Bay, Aotea Great Barrier Island to Campbells Bay, Auckland. It was more than just a swim - it was a Swim4TheGulf; a swim in partnership with charity Live Ocean with the ambition to improve the health of TÄ«kapa Moana (the Hauraki Gulf).
For anybody wondering, I didn't come out of the womb swimming (although, I may have been kicking). In fact, my early experiences with swimming were not overwhelmingly positive. My favourite part of swimming lessons when I was younger was when it was all over and mum rewarded our efforts with a treat; generally, a raspberry twist. The incentive worked for a time, before I dropped the mundanity of following the black line in favour of football boots.
It wasn't until later in life, during my early twenties, that I stumbled into open-water swimming in what became an unlikely passion. To that, I owe a debt of gratitude to my brother and dad, who together introduced me to this world through a local ocean swimming event. It was three kilometres of pain, fear, anxiety, relief, and joy that made me feel unbelievably alive and set me on a collision course with fate.
As the story goes, the distances grew and grew, and grew some more. What was initially a nerve-wracking and completely uncomfortable three-kilometre swim evolved into an incredibly challenging 5-kilometre swim. This led to my first ever marathon swim, a distance of 10 kilometres, in 2016. I haven't looked back since.
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In pursuing the ultra-marathon swims that I have undertaken, I have found more than just the pain and glory that comes with completing a challenge of this nature. I've found myself. I want to share this with the world - and to help you, whoever you are, to find who you are. I hope that my writing inspires you and starts you on that journey, and that the lessons and stories contained within this blog help to enlighten you on your path.
I welcome you to interact and connect with me if you have any questions at all related to swimming or any of the topics which I write on.
