Glenn’s 85km super swim
the swim last year, then came across the trust during a visit to Flaxmere to mark 20 years since his brother Glenn, a community constable, was shot dead while conducting a routine traffic stop.
The donations coming in through a Givealittle page has fuelled his desire to complete the challenge.
When he begins on February 8, swimmers and waka ama crews organised by the U-Turn Trust will see him off.
He is hoping to complete the 85 kilometre perimeter of the lake in seven days, but will carry enough supplies for the mission to take up to 10. He will swim no more than 200m from the shore and have a tracking device active on his wrist watch.
‘‘At the moment I’m just ramping up the kilometres in the open water,’’ McKibbin said.
‘‘I’m pretty tired and I’ve had to start wearing ear plugs, the water constantly being in my ears is getting painful.’’
Peter Cook, who swam the edge of Lake Taupo five years ago, lent McKibbin a raft, which weighs about 15 kilograms and will be attached around his waist to tow camping equipment and supplies.
During the challenge he will swim two rounds of 5km in the mornings, then spend the afternoons recovering and preparing for the following day.
Getting cold was the main risk and he would be swimming in a wetsuit, booties and a hood. His wife, two young children and extended family have hired homes at Onepoto and will contact him nightly using a satellite phone to monitor his progress.
McKibbin moved to Matangi about three years ago after stints living in Auckland and Dunedin. But he remembers well growing up in Hawke’s Bay with his brother Glenn and how they enjoyed visits to Waikaremoana.
‘‘It’s the kind of thing you’d do as kids together and so I thought swimming around the lake would be something cool to do.’’
He said the swim would be a ‘‘one-off challenge’’. ‘‘It has been a full on 12 months of training and preparation so afterwards I wish to focus more on family. If I can raise money and awareness for U-Turn Trust then I would be very happy with that.’’