SWIMMING
Long-distance Swims
The first European to swim Cook Strait was Barrie Devenport, who on 20 November 1963 made the crossing in the time of 11 hours 13 minutes. This feat was repeated by Keith Hancox on 7 February 1964 in the time of 9 hours 34 minutes. Foveaux Strait was swum by a Dutch immigrant, John van Leeuwen, on 7 February 1963 in the time of nearly 14 hours. On 7 August 1965 Keith Hancox became the first New Zealander to swim the English Channel, in the time of 15 hours 33 minutes.
