Taking part in the Margaret Sweeney Swimming Challenge, Eternity Thompson (left), first to finish the challenge Lisa Ellis, and Turtle Pools supervisor Suzanne Watson (right). Photo / Supplied
Taking part in the Margaret Sweeney Swimming Challenge, Eternity Thompson (left), first to finish the challenge Lisa Ellis, and Turtle Pools supervisor Suzanne Watson (right). Photo / Supplied
Swim instructors from Tūrangi have laid down a challenge to their Taupō contemporaries.
All in the name of encouraging winter fitness through swimming, Tūrangi's Turtle Pool instructors Suzanne Watson and Tamatea Terekai are taking part in the 50km Margaret Sweeney Swimming Challenge and are encouraging anyone else to join them, including swim school staff at Taupō's AC Baths.
On January 30, 1955, Margaret Sweeney became the first person to swim the length of Taupō. She was 25 or 26 years old.
Suzanne said the challenge was a great way to get people to come to the pool in the winter. The challenge was first started in 2016, and she says so far this year around 30 people are taking part. Names and distances are recorded on a leaderboard and, Suzanne says, there is a high level of community spirit.
"Not to mention competition. Some of the swimmers are keen to get ahead of others on the leaderboard."
Suzanne says the great thing about the challenge is that anyone can do it. She says those taking part typically come in quite regularly and like to swim a set distance so they can tick it off.
"Some people come in multiple times a day to up their tally."
She says the challenge brings in swimmers who don't usually go to the pools, particularly the elderly and teenagers.
So far Suzanne has swum 13km and she has until September 13 to complete the remaining 37km. She says people say to her it must be easy for her to find the time to do the challenge as she works at the pools.
"I do like to swim. But as an instructor I can be in the water for up to four hours a day and can feel a little waterlogged."
Suzanne says she manages 4km a week and trains with friend Henare Whaanga. Both are aiming for IronMāori and the Ironman 70.3 in December.
The challenge is named in honour of Margaret Sweeney, who represented New Zealand in breaststroke at the 1950 British Empire Games. In 1955, Margaret swam the length of Lake Taupō, a distance of 40km, from south to north, in 13 hours and 39 minutes.
It would be 22 years before a second person swam the length of Lake Taupō. Margaret Sweeney's feat was first repeated in 1977 by Taupō local Patrick Cox.
Margaret Sweeney being assisted from the water after swimming Lake Taupō. Photo by Ina Robinson, courtesy of Alexander Turnball Library
Later in 1955 Margaret attempted to swim the English Channel and was within 730 metres of reaching the English coast when the tide changed and pushed her back. She finally abandoned the attempt after 12 hours in the water.
Altogether Margaret made four attempts to swim the channel.
Suzanne says initially the Margaret Sweeney Swimming Challenge was just for people living in Tūrangi. She says the Tūrangi swim instructors can be a bit competitive with the Taupō swim instructors, but says they are also doing it for the fun of it.
"The challenge gets the community together. It's quite an awesome experience to have everyone support it, brings a nice family feel to the pools."
