Dr. Sarah Poplar

Sarah and her magnificent team. L-R, Ely Uemura, Glenda Carston,
​Simon Olliver, Andreas Aastrom, Sarah, Grant Orchard, and Joe Heberley.

Please list your Ultra-Marathon swim(s) 

Poor Knights to Matapouri (Northland, NZ)
Date: 8 March 2018
Distance: 22
Time: 8h15m
Age: 42 yrs
Neutral Observer: Mike Cochrane

Catalina Channel (CA., USA)
Date: 22 August 2018
Distance: 32k- 12h30
Aged: 42 yrs
Neutral Observers: Steven Robles and Dave Neilan. 

Cook Strait (NZ) south - north 
Date: 23 March 2021
Time: 9h45m
Age: 45 yrs
Neutral Observer: Glenda Carston.  

Please tell us something unique about your recent Cook Strait swim.  
After four successive seasons of training with two school aged children at home, I completed a south to north swim of Cook Strait in balmy, beautiful conditions with a handpicked team of awesome friends.

Sarah and Mike Cochrane, Poor Knights to Matapouri swim.

I want to acknowledge those extraordinary people that make possible these adventures including my crew for the Cook strait: Andreas Astrom, Simon Olliver, Ely Uemura, and pilot Grant Orchard with local legend Joe Heberley supporting and Mike Cochrane for supporting many previous adventures including Catalina Channel, Poor Knights to Matapouri and Hen Taranga Island to Waipu. 

How did your life change following your achievement(s)?
What I love most about these adventures is meeting people that you wouldn't otherwise meet. There is a magic feeling that comes from shared adventure, achievement - and worry! It's as much about the build up, the suspense, and the "debrief" celebration. It's about the training and the strange places that takes you, geographically and within yourself.

Sarah, the family swimmer and her young children. 

There are so many photos I would like to include but I think these capture (1) the team it requires to complete a long swim, (2) the feeling of finishing - elation and camaraderie, (3) the hope to inspire and expand the horizons for our younger generation. ​


END