Teen swimmer youngest to achieve NZ Triple Crown

SIXTEENYEAROLD swimming sensation Caitlin O’Reilly has swum the Foveaux Strait, making her the youngest person to achieve the New Zealand Triple Crown. The Triple Crown also includes swimming Cook Strait and Lake Taupo.

Caitlin swam Cook Strait at the age of only 12, and is the youngest New Zealander and youngest female to make the crossing.

The idea came to her after hearing her coach speak about swimming Foveaux Strait.

‘‘I thought ‘oh, that’s cool.

Maybe I’ll do that’ and so I did.’’

After finishing the Foveaux Strait, more than 27km in just over 10 hours — all without a wetsuit — she said she had been nervous going into the swim.

‘‘When I got in I just closed my eyes when I was looking down and opened them to see where I was going.’’

It took a lot of training to get used to the cold — training through winter and taking ice baths, Caitlin said.

‘‘When I first started the winter training I’d be sitting on the side of the pool with my hot chocolate and I’d be shaking and all of the hot chocolate would come out the side of the cup.’’

She hoped to take on some longdistance swimming challenges overseas in the future. — RNZ