Taupō's sporting history: Successful Lake Taupō marathon swims

Hearty swimmers have been crossing Lake Taupō since 1955. Photo / NZME

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Taupō local Bevan Choat, who has decades worth of experience in media, has boxes full of information on Taupō's sporting history. Today, we delve into the history of swims across Lake Taupō.

Swimming 40km across Lake Taupō is not for the faint of heart, but since 1955 a number of people have been successful in the journey.

This list of successfully completed length-of-the-lake marathon swims is straight out of Bevan Choat's files, up to 2001 when he retired.

In 1978, swimmers were also competing in what was part of the New Zealand Marathon Swimming Council's Air New Zealand Marathon swim series.

Part of the New Zealand series was also contested on Lake Taupoō in 1980 when the race started in still conditions but after an hour in the water, a 40 knot south-easterly arose forcing many support boats to scurry for cover and several of the swimmers to be plucked to safety from the severe chop caused by the winds.

The successful attempts (in order) were:

1955:

Margaret Sweeny (Auckland) from south to north in 13h 29m.

1977:

Patrick Cox (Taupō) from south to north in 12h 54m.

Bill Rout (Cambridge) from south to north in 11h 31m.

1978:

(These were all part of the Air New Zealand Marathon Swim Series on the same day)

John Coutts (Napier) from south to north in 10h 47m - 1st place.

Chris Hurdley (Auckland) from south to north - 2nd.

Sandra Blewett (Auckland) from south to north - 3rd

Patrick Benson (Hastings) from south to north - 4th.

1980:

(These were all part of the second Air New Zealand Marathon Swim Series on the same day)

Mahammed El Meseery (Egypt - then World Champion) from south to north in 12h 43m - 1st.

Philip Rush (Dunedin, 16-year-old) from south to north in 12h 52m - 2nd.

John Coutts (Napier) from south to north in 12h 55m - 3rd.

Carolyn Wordsworth (Dunedin, 16-year-old) from south to north in 14h 08m - 4th.

Rhonda Smidt (Napier) from south to north in 15h 18m - 5th.

1980:

(Not part of the marathon swim series and completed several weeks after that event)

Belinda Shields (Auckland) from south to north in 15h 58m.

1981:

John Coutts (Napier) from north to south for the first time in 11h 39m, attempting return crossing.

1983:

Sheryl McClay (Wellington, 32-year-old) from south to north in 11h 58m.

1984:

Karen Bisley (Wellington) from south to north in 10h 40m.

1985:

Philip Rush (Lower Hutt) from north to south and south to north, the first double in 23h 05m.

Philip Rush (Lower Hutt) from south to north in 10h 14m 58s, soon after his successful double.

1986:

Sandra Blewett (Auckland) from north to south and south to north double in 33h 21m.

1987:

Ingrid Greensland (Wellington, 15-year-old) from south to north in 11h 52m.

1988:

Stephen Rainbow (Auckland) from south to north in 11h 42m.

1990:

Kaine Thompson (Lower Hutt, 14-year-old) from south to north in 11h 13m 58s.

2001:

Derek Smith (Masterton, 41-year-old) from south to north in 14h 12m 47s.

2001:

Peter Cook (Taupō, 31-year-old) from south to north in 13h 12m 19s.

It is also worthy to note that Lake Taupō has been successfully conquered from south to north by board sailor Kevin Koorey in 1991, who became the only one to board sail the length of the lake from south to north in the incredible time of 34m 35s. The record still stands.

And apart from the regular and annual cross-lake swims from Acacia Bay to Two Mile Bay, nobody has yet swum the width of Lake Taupo from west to east or east to west.

Maybe there is a challenge in waiting?