 Tracey and Nick Smith, Waiheke to Auckland swim (Chopper Swim) Ultra-Marathon swim(s) Chopper Swim Challenge Swim date: 18 March 2019 Age: 48 yrs Distance: 20 km Time: 6h45m20s Observer / Kayaker: Nick Smith Tahiti Nui to Moorea Sea of the Moon Channel Swim date: 5 October 2019 Age: 49 yrs Distance: 21.3Km Time: 9hrs 38mins Neutral Observer: Ioane Ng Pao Circumnavigation Swim of Bora Bora Swim date: 14 October 2019 Age: 49 yrs Direction: clockwise (Sofitel Island start finish) Distance: 23 km Time: 9hrs 52mins 50 seconds Neutral Observer: Seti Afoa Chopper Swim - Waiheke to Auckland My March 2019 solo swim was the culmination of 3 years of taking part in the Chopper Challenge swim. The swim is a phenomenal fundraising event and a fantastic introduction to Ultra Marathon Swimming. In 2017 I was asked to take part in a team of four. No worries, that's only 5 km each, I thought. On the day, the conditions were so rough none of us wanted to sit on the support boat. We made it to 12.5km in swells of over 2 meters in headwind, gusting to 45 knots. Only one relay team made it across that day. In 2018 I was joined by Karim Rostami, and we completed a duo relay crossing. Karim is my inspiration and a true sporting hero. (The swim was also briefly joined by a mumma and baby orca, making it a memorable swim) In 2019 Karim and I were joined by Paulette Tasker, and together we all shared a boat to set out and all complete solo crossings in perfect conditions. That was a very special swim on home ground. The swim also served as the first step of a year of four planned Ultra Marathon swims. Tougher challenges were yet to come. Tahiti to Mo'orea Swim Left, Tracey's entrance to the finish at Vaiare was a tough one with water moving out of the channel at a rate of knots. Right, Tracey at Vaiare on Mo'orea and Tahiti-nui behind at the end of her second ultra-swim. The next challenge came later in October 2019 at the Tahiti to Mo'orea swim. The swim was in total contrasting conditions. It started with glassy perfection in translucent Indian ink coloured water that quickly deteriorated to me observing my boat crew donning sou'wester and oilskins that I would more commonly associate with a North Sea fishing trawler. A massive squall swept through. The learning from my original Chopper swim experience came in handy. I remembered my mantra: 'the only thing you can choose is your attitude' and survived 4 hours of 2-meter swells. Huge thanks go to Mike Cochrane who's absolute glee on the first Chopper challenge taught me that swell can be fun. Seasickness became a matter of acceptance. Flat Coke (another tip from Mike) was a Godsend. The final 5 km of this swim was a massive challenge in a different way. I ended up on the wrong side of the entrance. I had to swim a dog leg to enter the Vaiare channel in an outgoing tide. The earlier trials faded into the background when this new challenge presented itself, of my own making of course. Once through the narrow channel, it was a 1-kilometer swim to the finish at the Vaiare marina. I was very happy to finish the crossing. Swim two was done. What did this swim teach me - Even in terrible storms in Tahiti, you can get very, very sunburnt. Remedial steps were urgent as I had to head out and swim around Bora Bora in 8-days time. Circumnavigation Swim of Bora Bora  Bora Bora, the toughest part of the swim was reaching Palm Tree Point a few KMS ahead. Wow - be careful what you wish for, or should that be, dreams can come true. On the 27th of July 2016, Richard and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on Bora Bora. We spent the morning snorkelling with sharks, stingray and plentiful fish. In the afternoon, we took a jet ski tour around the island. Sitting on the back of that jet ski, I looked at the island and thought: "this island would be really cool to swim around. I wonder how far it is". From casting that thought out into the universe, my ultra-marathon swimming journey unfolded in front of me. From being invited to join that first team swim on the Chopper Challenge to watching from afar the first group to swim Tahiti – Mo'orea in 2018. Everything just fell into place, and when the Tahiti tour was announced for 2019, there was even a group looking to head over to attempt to swim around Bora Bora. The swim was incredible: Manta rays, a big blacktip shark (I think the words I used to describe it to Seti were similar to that), a turtle and thousands of fishes. Swimming around an island is always going to be challenging, and the back leg certainly was that with reef's to navigate and 'Palm tree Point' that just never got any nearer. At the end of the swim, I was both relieved and elated with having fulfilled my wish to swim around Bora Bora. That was the most significant achievement of my life, and I am so thankful to Seti and Richard and the boat crew on the day. Richard (my husband) has probably gained the most from the Tahiti swims. After spending over 18 hours sitting on boats in Tahiti, he decided to allow me to teach him to swim in December 2019. This 2020 - 2021 he has completed his first 3.8km lake swim at the Ruby in Wanaka and the 5 km Akaroa swim. Richard's success has fuelled my desire to help as many adults as possible to learn to swim. This is proving to be an incredibly rewarding way to give back to the swimming community. Huge thanks to everyone who made my three swims possible and supported me along the way. Eds note: Tracey was to complete her four swim year with the Apolima Strait Swim in March 2020, the very same week the world went into COVID lockdown. END
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 Fantastic view of Raewyn from the IRB Please list your Ultra-Marathon swim Cook Strait Swim date: 23 March 2021 Time: 10h18m Distance: 26.4 km Age: 51 years Neutral Observer: Philip Rush Please tell us something unique about your achievement. Tell your story The thought of this swim has been implanted in my brain since about age 11yrs. While swimming with the squad in Dunedin, I mentioned to Duncan Laing that I had sore arms. His reply was "see that boy over there (pointing at Philip Rush in the big boys lane) he's training to swim Cook Strait and his arms are sore every day". Those words from the wise Duncan Laing, have always stayed with me and also the image of this wee short guy, swimming up and down the pool. From then on whenever I crossed the Cook Strait, whether it be by ferry or by Air it has always been a thought to swim across it. But was only just that "a thought". I think the older you get, those thoughts become goals and as time ticks on you begin thinking, why not give it a go otherwise you'll always be thinking about it. And then it was only because of a friend I was staying with in Wellington, organised a coffee and a chat with Phil that I thought "yes, I can do it". And so the journey began...  Raewyn Winsley How has your life change following your achievement?
I definitely feel at peace with myself. It's "my Everest of Swims" ticked off. Amazing how you push yourself through the hard bits. Not sure what's next but I guess I've learnt, never say never. END  My ultra-marathon swim
Lake Taupo Swim date, 23 April 2021 Distance recorded, 40.2km Time, 12h29m Age, 24 years Neutral Observer, Philip Rush Please tell us something unique about your achievement. Tell your story Using these swims and my social media platforms to raise both awareness and funds for I AM HOPE to support youth mental health How did your life change following your achievement(s)? Incredibly humbled to be doing a bit of good in the world for mental health and spread my story into so many more communities than expected! END  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  Swim data
Waiheke Island to Auckland, Mechanics Bay Date of swim, March 2019 Distance, 21 km Time, 5hours 40mins Kayaker / Observer, Gregory Dunning Please tell us something unique about your achievement. Tell your story I came to NZ as an 18-year-old asylum seeker from my hometown of Kabul in Afghanistan. I am a survivor of the polio virus. I was affected by it when I was a small toddler. which means that I have limited muscles in my legs I love a challenge so in 2014 I took up swimming. It seemed like an unlikely match as I didn't grow up surrounded by the ocean or learnt to swim at school and I have limited leg movement. However, I undertook swimming lessons at the local pool where I use a band to tie my ankles together while swimming. I have a passion for a challenge and I believe that my story and determination has given me a unique position in which I am able to raise significant sums of money for philanthropic purposes. I'm pretty sure that with both these events I am the only one that uses only my arms to complete the swims. How did your life change following your achievement(s)? I have become an official swim junkie and being involved in these events has been a highlight in my life urging me into greater events. END o edit.  Swim data
Swim, Around Rangitoto (solo / tandem) Swim date, 12 Feb 2020 Recorded distance, 21.9 km Time, 7hours 31minutes 18secs Age at swim date, 45 years Please tell us something unique about your achievement. Tell your story Swim was observed and tracked by Roger Soulsby of Auckland Masters Swimming, and boat and second courtesy of Simon Freeman. I swam with Susan Sherwen. Swim logistics are always tricky as was the case here with ensuring weather and tides worked for us. Water was a toasty 21 degrees Celsius with a gentle breeze and sun on our backs. I tested a new feeding pattern using rice cakes in coconut milk and raisins which worked like a bomb. Other Comment I’m pretty new to NZ after arriving here in 2018, and am slowly getting to know this wonderful community. We are so spoilt in NZ with our options available for ocean swimming. In South Africa I swam many swims for charity with a group called MADSWIMMER.com including swimming across Lake Malawi 25km, swam across the date line in the Bering Strait in waters 3 degrees Celsius for 6.5km, completed a 24 hours solo pool swim with 44.9km to name a few. I’m keen to get a similar infrastructure up and running here where we can use swimming to raise funds for those who could use the help, or for general ocean awareness. How did your life change following your achievement(s)? Anything is possible, and these long ocean swims really do manage to our life and it’s small stresses into perspective. o edit.  Chopper Swim
Swim date, 25th March 2021 Distance, 20km Time, 7hours 25mins Age at swim date, 42 years Observers Andy McDonagh (kayaker), Robert Van Zwam Please tell us something unique about your achievement. Tell your story Having swam the 40.2km of Lake Taupo in 2018 this swim was a challenge to see how I would manage in salt water and chop as I had never done more than 10km in salt water. It was also a privilege to be able to raise money for a very important cause Westpac rescue helicopter. I entered a shop the day after the swim and the lady in the shop was so grateful for our efforts as her daughter had needed these services in the past. It was so touching to see the direct impact the fundraising had on the island communities. My skippers family also utilized the rescue helicopter at Xmas to get their unwell son from Great barrier to Starship hospital...so I felt a sense of greater importance to finish this swim. As is often the way the journey to the outcome is more important than the outcome itself. I learnt that I can cope with both cold and warm water environments and I learnt I have become comfortable in varying conditions, and that there are some awesome people in this world you volunteer their time and skills. How did your life change following your achievement(s)? The more time I have spent in the open water swim community the more I have realized why I am drawn to this sport...the people! The continued positivity, collegial nature, support, encouragement and love that our community offer is a very rare thing in sport where often it is about competing with each other. Open water swimmers just want the best for each other no matter what event you are doing. I also feel absolutely privileged to have had people offer their support in a voluntary way to help me achieve the chopper swim. To them I am truly grateful. I live by the saying pay it forward..and have been honor to support fellow swimmers in Taupo and Cook Strait, and I feel that my support crew for chopper paid it forward too. Thanks. Born 13.10.1938 - Died 21.01.2019 PIONEER - ULTRA-MARATHON SWIMMING - NZ HEAVYWEIGHT WRESTLING CHAMPION 
Thanks Chris for all your nice “fibs.” Now I have a chance to even the score. And I will start, Chris, by thanking your wife, on your behalf for her years of support for you…and more! Anyway, I look forward to discussing them all with you later. Told to expect an award, I had no idea that this would be a Life-time Achievement Award like this. I anticipated a piece of paper, but this heavy silver platter, and the priority accorded it, has blown me away. Thankyou ALL. In response to the award, I would have told you about a journey, but that will take far too long so I will confine my comments tonight to the early sixties. There is no time to add my tribute to Phil Rush, and to many, many others here tonight, nor relate my later swim adventures in Australia, Canada and England. This story begins in the 1950’s. I recall sitting on the beach at Napier, looking out to Cape Kidnappers and telling myself that I would one day swim from there to Napier, and then the English Channel. I did. Our NZ history of ultra-open-water or marathon swimming is built on two persons. First a legendary Wahine, held captive on Kapiti Island by Te Rauparaha. She is said to have swum or drifted all the way from Kapiti to D’Urville Island – more than 50 nautical miles – straight line. If true, that is one hell of a long and technically difficult swim. Our - that is New Zealand’s -first major authenticated achievements involved General Lord Bernard Freyberg – the first, at Gallipoli where he earned the VC, and then in England where he missed the Channel by about 6 hundred yards. In 1965 I had the pleasure of meeting Lady Freyberg in London following my channel swim. In the early 1960s, NZ Ultra marathon Open Water Swimming was centred on 3 or 4 Wellington Surf Lifesaving Clubs - Worser Bay (Barrie Devenport), Lyall Bay (Blakeley, Griffin, Mike Harvey et al) , Maranui (Bill Penny and Brian Crowder) and Island Bay, where I drew the short straw. While Bill Penny captivated the nation, he fell just short. But Barrie Devenport crossed the Strait first with all the deserved plaudits and recognition. At that point interest became truly nation-wide. Barrie deserved to be awarded the magnificent statue provided by old-time Wellington hotelier, Tom Coltman.
The names of would be swimmers and the rumours circulating were numerous and almost all wrong. While this all relates to Cook Strait, many were already thinking of other challenges - like Taupo, Foveaux Strait and the English Channel. We in Island Bay set Cook Strait in a much faster time as our initial goal. But first, Cape Kidnappers to Napier was covered in just under 11 hours. My coach was the legendary Tony Keenan – an ex British Army PTI. Tony’s view of any contest was: “There is only one way to the top -over the top of the bugger in front of you. “ A quick anecdote relating to Cook Strait and a well-known Wellington Maori family, the Loves. As most everyone here knows the human head, give or take a few ounces, weighs about 14 lbs. Imagine that is on the end of a broom stick. Keeping that above the water while swimming for 8 or 9 hours places severe strain on the small of the back. Two days prior to the 7th Feb 1964, a close friend of mine, Lesley Jordan, was taken by a White Pointer shark at St Clair beach, Dunedin. His death was the first authenticated shark death for about a century. And that caused our team to panic. Three police marksmen were along for my swim. Tiny Love, who was in the close support boat, also had his .303 rifle. By late afternoon my back was screaming and the only way of relieving the pain was to bend over, grip around the knees and stretch my back. But the fear was that I was going to sleep. At that point I heard three rifle shots, looked up and around , and yelled: “Shark, shark. Where’s the shark ?” The response was: “Shark be buggered. If you don’t get your head down and swim the next one will be up your ……..” South Island took just 30 more minutes – 9 Hrs 34 minutes a record that stood for 13 years.  Keith, Sandra Blewett and Philip Rush present an Award to NZ Olympian Moss Burmester Let me conclude by thanking everyone for their support, including Tony Keenan, my hard driving coach. Tony threatened, cajoled and rowed his hands raw. He was the foundation upon which my success was built. His commitment, with the support of his wife Hilary, could not have been greater. Thank you, Tony. Then there is my ever supportive and loving wife of 53 years, Carole. Without her support I could not later have achieved important goals in other fields. Thank you, Beadle. Looking back, I believe I have long since atoned for my stupidity in a way that provided substantial societal benefits. Finally, there is an old saying that was a favourite of friends like business leaders Sir Douglas Myers and Baron Ralph Von Kohorn : “Business with friends is friendship at risk. But friendship through business is friendship indeed.” I am proud to record that both Douglas and Ralph were and remained – through thick and thin - two true, and lasting friends. That business /friendship adage is important. It is an adage that certainly applies to all Open Water Ultra marathon swimmers, their coaches and their goals. So, as the end of my 80th year is near, thank you everyone for your friendship as we all strive to achieve future goals. END |
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