North Cape to Bluff in a pool
One of the world’s best freedivers is lending his name to a summer initiative to get Porirua Aquatic Centre swimmers to swim the length of New Zealand.
Dave Mullins trains at the Aquatic Centre three times a week. There, in 2010, he set the world record for swimming 218 metres in just over four minutes on a single breath, with no fins.
The fun campaign has been organised by Sue Chapman, the aquatic centre business manager.
It will involve regular users of the centre, plus swim schools, swimming about 80,000 lengths of the 25-metre pool in coming weeks.
There will be spot prizes along the way, from Kaitaia to Bluff.
It was a good way to promote swimming as a healthy activity and safety in the water during the holidays, Mullins said.
‘‘Anything to get more people involved is good,’’ he said. ‘‘Swimming helps with flexibility and core fitness and the pool has a great temperature for users.’’
Mullins said he would probably swim 10km during each training session, so could be one of Chapman’s big movers towards the 80,000 lengths target.
He will be training for the spearfishing and freediving world championships, to be held in Greece this year.
Chapman said the new year was the perfect time to kick off the campaign.
‘‘You hear about people and groups swimming the length of the Cook Strait in pools and I thought, ‘Why not go bigger?’ It’s a chance for us to promote the great facility we have here, along with highlighting the safety aspect, and getting the community involved.’’
Chapman hoped up to 200 people would take part, including council staff. The swim kicked off on January 1. One regular swimmer had already completed 500 lengths, she said.
There will be a poster on one wall of the main pool area, showing how far the swimmers have advanced down the country.
Chapman said it would be fun to tick off the different towns and cities, maybe giving away carrots to swimmers when Ohakune was reached.
To take part, register at the i-Site or the aquatic centre.