Story: Open water swimming

Cook Strait conquerors

Cook Strait, which separates the North and South islands, is the premier open water swimming challenge in New Zealand, and is notorious for its treacherous tides and cold waters. Many people have tried and failed to make the crossing, but of those who have succeeded a few stand out because of their age, or because they were first or fastest. This table shows the leaders in all these categories.

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Open water swimming - Major marathon courses', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/table/6901/cook-strait-conquerors (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 12 Jun 2006, updated 1 Feb 2016