Every swimmer has a story to tell.
Writer and swimmer Shona Riddell chats to marathon swimmers, dippers, coaches, ocean experts, and more. Whether you’re a swimmer yourself, or just interested in stories about the sea and people expanding their comfort zones, you'll enjoy these swim chats. Please
Benoit (Ben) Lavigne is a Wellington swim coach. Through his company, Outpace Swimming , he offers private coaching, swim squads, video analysis, clinics, open water training, and swim camps. Ben is also the Head Coach at Tawa Swim Club and was selected as a coach for Swimming New Zealand's Under 19 Team at the 2026 Tri Series in Western Australia. In this episode, Ben talks about his coaching method, offers technique advice, and shares his own swim journey – from a small child in France who was terrified of the water, to becoming a national-level swimmer and then a coach. Ben has continued…
What : Ignite Freshwater Swim Fest Where: Lake Pupuke / Pupukemoana, Auckland When: February 13–14, 2027 Scott Rice is back on Swim Chats this month to talk about a brand-new swim event coming next summer: the Ignite Freshwater Swim Fest ! It will be a fun weekend for the whole family in February, offering a range of swim distances to suit all abilities (250m to 10km), live music, food stalls, the first NZ Doggy Swim Champs (a 100m swim with your pawsome pal), a 4x500m relay, three national swim championships, and much more. The event's charity partner is Live Ocean and the swim…
When Wellington’s school pools began disappearing, Steve Hind decided to do something about it. The result was the Aquadome a thriving community swimming facility that opened in 2018. In 2009, Steve noticed a decline in the number of school pools in the region. Both of his daughters attended Wellington East Girls’ College and there was an unused pool on the grounds. The council pools were busy at peak times, so Steve and Gary Hurring, a former NZ swim champion, decided to restore the college pool. As Steve explains: “It felt like everything just came together. It became obvious to us that…
SwimRun events involve a consecutive series of swims and runs, with no stops or gear changes. You can be tethered to another person, or do it solo. The swims are open water and the runs are on trails, across islands or around bays and headlands. Returning guest John Hancock is an avid SwimRunner and has participated in several events around the world, including in Sweden (the home of SwimRun) and Australia. He's also created the Facebook group NZ SwimRun for the local SwimRun community, with tips and articles. In this episode, John explains: How SwimRun got started and how it's evolved into…
Congratulations to Gráinne on her Oceans Seven!!!! Gráinne Moss is an ultramarathon swimmer from Wellington, New Zealand who recently completed the Oceans Seven, a series of gruelling swims around the globe. It's been a 39-year odyssey for Gráinne, who swam the English Channel in 1987 at just 17 years old and completed her seventh swim in June this year at the age of 56. Gráinne swims under her Irish passport and is the first Irish woman (and 45th person) to complete all seven swims! In this episode Gráinne (pronounced Gron-ya) shares stories from all seven swims, including swimming across…
Tracey Baumann is the co-founder and head coach at SwimMastery, which uses evidence-based methods to teach the correct, connected body position in the water – helping us to swim smoother and faster, with more joy and less struggle. Tracey has 30 years of coaching experience, teaching beginners and ultramarathoners around the world. In this episode she shares advice on improving your technique, overcoming mental barriers, preventing swim injuries, breath management, and optimising your performance no matter what age or swim level you are. Tracey is based in Brisbane, Australia. She offers…
The Scarborough Dippers began with a bet between four friends in a coffee shop on a winter's day: who would take the plunge into the cold sea? Ten years later, the group now has dozens of year-round dippers who meet at 7am at Scarborough Beach in Christchurch. The group also runs Wet July, an annual campaign to raise funds for local organisations including kindys, lifesaving clubs, and conservation groups. Members pledge to get in the sea every day of the month and the dippers often raise over $10,000. They also host a mid-winter community swim and a quiz night. Their bank details are…
Timon Wilkinson is the co-owner of Bonobos gym for kids and adults in Wellington and runs weekly Bonobos Swim Squads at Freyberg, WRAC, Te Ngaengae, and Te Huia Pools. Timon was a competitive swimmer from nine to 15 and started coaching kids while he was at university. He worked at the old TSW Pool until it closed in 2017, and then for Capital Swim Club. In 2017 he co-founded the fun and friendly Bonobos gym in Lyall Bay for kids and adults (including Strength, Mobility, and Balance classes – great cross-training for swimmers!). Timon talks about leaving kids' competitive swim coaching,…
James Bell is a Professor of Marine Biology at Victoria University of Wellington – Te Herenga Waka, and a huge fan of sea sponges. Check out his colourful underwater photos and videos on his Instagram page, @sponge_ecology , where he has over 40,000 followers. James has scuba dived around the world researching this ancient, vibrant, intriguing, but sometimes overlooked marine species. (We both agree that charismatic megafauna – e.g. dolphins, whales, sharks – often get a disproportionate amount of attention.) In this episode we talk about the characteristics and role of sea sponges, where…
Corrina Connor is a Wellington ultramarathon swimmer, ice swimmer, musician, and the MC of Wellington's popular Sea Panels at Te Matapihi central library. In this episode we talk about Corrina's swim journey from a teenager at the pool to setting 20km+ targets in the open water. She swam across the Cook Strait (Te Moana-o-Raukawa) in December 2021, after a thwarted first go in March of the same year. She swam Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) in 2023 and Lake Taupō in 2024. She also completed a circumnavigation of Rangitoto Island in 2025. (You can read her excellent write-ups of her big swims…
At the time of recording, Eddie was recovering from a mountain biking accident so we talk about that at the start of the episode. All the best with your recovery, Eddie! Eddie Spearing lives in Wānaka on New Zealand's South Island, and is the founder of Ruby Fresh , a wetsuit that was designed (by Eddie) for freshwater swimming – he's since grown the business and now also sells wetsuits for ocean swimming. Eddie is the co-organiser of the hugely popular Ruby Island Swim event, which is held every year in late January. Entries are limited and open on September 1st. In this episode we talk…
Poetry captures the sensory delights and desires (and sometimes death and despair) of swimming and the allure of open water. In this episode, returning guest Sinéad Kehoe and I take turns reading some of our favourite swim poems, mostly organised by theme, location, or general vibe. Mermaids, grottos, drowning, thrashing waves, darting fish, and naked swims are all captured in these verses. We also got inspired and penned a couple of our own poems! There are no deep dives or literary deconstructions here, and we only read a few lines of the longer poems, so even if poetry isn’t your usual…
Zoe Studd is the co-founder and ‘Chief Enthusiasm Officer’ of Mountains to Sea Wellington and the Project Lead of Love Rimurimu. She helps people of all ages to connect with marine and freshwater environments, and leads marine restoration projects. She’s full of ideas and energy, supported by an incredible team of staff and volunteers. On the MTSW website it says: ‘From experience comes joy, and from joy comes connection’ and I think we can all agree with that! In this episode we talk about how MTSW got started nine years ago, the free programmes they run (like the summer community snorkels…
NZ author Nicola McCloy’s new book ‘Jump In: An Insider’s Guide to New Zealand’s Best Beaches, Lakes, Rivers, Pools and Hot Springs’ was published in late 2025, with stunning photos and tips on the best places to swim. Writing the book involved plenty of personal research as Nicola trekked around the country to experience some of NZ’s most beautiful and epic (but also accessible) swim locations. With support and advice from local communities, Nicola’s swim journey was full of wonderful and unexpected surprises. She talks about how she chose the locations in the book, growing up as a water…
This episode was originally released on 11/04/25. Our first 'swim history' episode! Featuring special guest John Hancock, a marathon swimmer and the organiser of this year's ANZAC Day swim in Wellington. In this episode John tells the story of the brave, accomplished, and fascinating Sir Bernard Freyberg who painted himself in black and undertook a stealthy nighttime swim in Gallipoli during World War One. We also discuss a few other notable swimmers in history: John F Kennedy, Kahe Te-Rau-o-te-Rangi, and Mao Zedong. Finally, John Hancock reflects on his own 'big' swims, across Lake Taupō…
Wen Erh Hsu completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (English Channel, Catalina Channel and 20 Bridges in Manhattan) within one season in 2024. She is the first Taiwanese person to swim solo across the English Channel and her Facebook page ‘Wen’s Swimming Club’ has more than 10,000 followers. On this episode Wen talks about her journey from pool swimmer in Taiwan to ultramarathon training in the UK, as well as the importance of staying positive during challenging swims – such as when the water is ‘less warm' than ideal, when you're swimming the Catalina Channel overnight through the…
Seti Afoa is the Director of Samoa Events , a swim business that offers tours, events, and retreats in Moananui (the Pacific Ocean). Seti was born in Samoa, in a coastal village on the island of Upolu. As was common for Samoan kids of his generation, swimming out of his depth was not encouraged. His family moved to South Auckland when he was about 13 and as an adult he began visiting swimming pools with his wife. He joined a pool squad, then ventured into the open water in Kohimarama. Gradually Seti’s distances and confidence increased until he swam the Rangitoto Double (about 10km) and in…
This episode was published on March 26 to coincide with Epilepsy Awareness Day ( #PurpleDay ). Visit Epilepsy NZ to learn more and buy Kate's swim towels and caps , which she sells to raise funds for Epilepsy NZ. Kate Wareham is a Wellington pool and open water swimmer, the CEO of Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), and last year she was diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological condition that can cause recurring, unprovoked seizures. Kate experienced her first seizure in 2025 while in Italy on holiday with her family, a few days after completing a lake swim event. Since her diagnosis she…
Dr Abi Lafbery has a PhD in outdoor swimming from Lancaster University in the UK. Her thesis focussed on the health, thoughts, experiences and behaviours of wild/open water swimmers, the health of the water they swim in, and swimmers’ impacts on waterways. For almost five years she was researching and writing about swimming, flora and fauna, pollution, and climate. In this episode we talk about Abi’s own swimming in Cornwall, the Lake District, and on the wild, post-industrial coast of North West England; what she discovered from her research and interviews with outdoor swimmers; the…
Dougal Dunlop is one of Wellington's swim legends and has been swimming and coaching for over 50 years. Now in his 70s, he continues to coach at Freyberg Pool and swims at Oriental Bay all year round – most mornings he'll be in the water at 6:46am (ish). A back injury led to Dougal swimming regularly in the ocean and he founded the Washing Machines, a hardy group of open water enthusiasts including ultramarathoners and ice swimmers. Dougal updates the group (of over 200 members) via WhatsApp every day with the local swim conditions and water temperature. We recorded this chat at AYE! Cafe in…
Bryn Williams is a Wellington ocean swimmer and is a great person to swim with. He helps nervous newbies (like me, a few years ago) and encourages us to have fun in the water whether it's jumping off the pontoons or doing handstands in the shallows. He's full of fun and lifts everyone's spirits just by showing up. Bryn moved to NZ from Wales in the late 1970s, at the age of 14. When Bryn was young his uncle Tommy, who was in the Navy during WW2 and witnessed multiple drownings, taught his dozens of nephews and nieces to swim in the fresh, choppy Irish Sea. Bryn learned to navigate the waves…
Update: SHE DID IT!!! On March 21 2026, Danielle swam across Lake Taupō (40.7km in 16h27m). Well done, Danielle! Also, her fundraising for Dementia NZ has raised over $15,000. Thanks to everyone who has donated. * At the time of recording this podcast (Feb 9, 2026), Danielle Falconer was preparing to swim the length of Lake Taupō (40.2km) in late February to raise awareness and support for those affected by dementia. Through her swim she is fundraising for Dementia NZ – visit her Givealittle page for more details. In this episode we talk about: Danielle’s personal reasons for wanting to grow…
Laura Quilter is a Masters and Ice Swimming world record holder, a competitive sprint swimmer, and runs a strength and swim coaching business called Aura Move. Laura retired from competitive swimming (butterfly and freestyle) in 2016, in her mid-20s. Eight years later she discovered that she was faster than ever and qualified for her first World Aquatics Championships. Unusually for a competitive swimmer, she coaches herself. Laura's how-to videos on Instagram have inspired a following of 70K and led to her offering virtual and in-person strength and swim coaching via Aura Move. In this…
The Z Manu World Champs is now in its third year and is making a splash as a fun water sports event that brings people together. A 'manu' is a v-shaped dive bomb. It has Māori / Pasifika origins and can be performed off a bridge, wharf, diving board, jetty – even off a horse – into any body of deep water, as long as it's done safely. There are qualifying events being held around Aotearoa NZ (and on the Gold Coast) over the summer and the Grand Finals will be held in Auckland in March. Manu World Champs founder Scott Rice came on the podcast to discuss what inspired him to create this event,…
It's a Swim Chats festive episode! The seaside town of Felixstowe in the UK hosts an annual Christmas Day Dip to raise funds for St Elizabeth Hospice. 2025 is the event's 21st year and last Christmas there were 650 intrepid souls who made a winter's dash into the chilly North Sea, dressed in all sorts of festive outfits. The hospice's Events and Challenges manager, James Fox-Golding, came on Swim Chats to talk about the joy of the event, how it's grown over the past 20 years, and its significance as a fundraiser for a service that provides medical attention and support to people with…
It's our final swim history episode of 2025! Featuring special guest, ultramarathon swimmer John Hancock who is back for his third episode to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Captain Matthew Webb's English Channel crossing. We talk about: Captain Webb's astonishing Channel swim in 1875, a feat that hadn't been achieved before and was not repeated by anyone else for more than 30 years. The life story of the Captain – his heroism, his daring escapades, and his tragic final swim. The English Channel's swimming legacy, with facts and figures (mostly cobbled together from Wikipedia and the…
If you're an ocean swimmer, you've probably encountered jellyfish at some stage. Depending on the species these watery, tentacled, heartless/ brainless/spineless (literally) invertebrates can dish out a painful sting! Earth Sciences NZ (formerly NIWA) marine scientist Dennis Gordon came on the podcast to answer my questions. In this episode, we talk about: What is the definition of a jellyfish? What are their life stages? How do they move around? How do they still sting people even after they've washed up on the beach? Common species such as moon jellyfish and lion's manes, bluebottles /…
Liana Smith was thriving as a competitive swimmer when chronic back pain led to a diagnosis of a spinal fracture. She underwent a spinal fusion at the age of 17. At the time, it felt to Liana as if her swimming career was over – she was on full bedrest and had a long recovery, both physically and mentally. She spent the next seven years out of the water. Liana was working as a high-country shepherd in Queenstown when she went for a swim with the Southern Lakes Swim Club (SLSC). Realising she could still swim well and enjoyed it – and was fast in the open water – Liana set her sights on NZ's…
I watched JAWS as a kid and was subsequently scared to go in the water, just as the movie's tagline promised. Now I swim in the sea regularly and I know a bit more about sharks, but I wanted to talk to an expert. Clinton Duffy grew up with a fascination of sharks after encountering a bronze whaler, and he has spent much of his life and career in the pursuit of knowledge about these sharp-toothed ocean predators (as well as other marine creatures, such as rays). He worked in marine science at DOC and is now a Curator of Marine Biology at Auckland Museum – and there's a very cool exhibition…
I had the pleasure of interviewing my swim coach Barbara (Barb) Watson, who has dedicated over 60 years to coaching in Wellington. It was recorded while we sat in her car at Freyberg Beach early on a Wednesday morning, watching the sunrise and drinking coffee. In this episode you'll hear some of Barb's life story and much of it is an oral history of swimming in Wellington, from the early 1950s to today. Barb was always drawn to the water and it ran in the family because her dad, Frank, was an open water swimming champion in the 1920s before he took on coaching and pool management. He worked…
About Swim Chats
Every swimmer has a story to tell.
Writer and swimmer Shona Riddell chats to marathon swimmers, dippers, coaches, ocean experts, and more. Whether you’re a swimmer yourself, or just interested in stories about the sea and people expanding their comfort zones, you'll enjoy these swim chats. Please
Swim Chats is a English sport podcast from Shona Riddell. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
