A new year brings a new challenge for Jono Ridler.
In 2023, he completed the longest ocean swim in New Zealand when he travelled 99km in the Hauraki Gulf from Aotea Great Barrier to Auckland in a 33-hour non-stop effort.
Speaking to the Herald, Ridler said it wasthe hardest swim, physically and mentally, he had done.
He has completed the triple crown of New Zealand open water swimming: Cook Strait, Lake Taupō and Foveaux Strait.
In January, the 35-year-old will embark on a record-setting attempt of an unassisted staged swim from North Cape to Wellington.
As was the case with his 2023 effort, Ridler is using his effort for further purpose as he looks to draw attention to the health of New Zealand’s oceans in partnership with Blair Tuke and Peter Burling’s Live Ocean charity.
“My Hauraki Gulf swim showed me how endurance sport can bring real attention to ocean issues, and that people care,” Ridler said.
“This next mission will push me to my limits. I’ll be swimming around the clock, coming ashore only to rest and refuel. It will be incredibly challenging, but I feel strongly that we can and must do better to care for the ocean. That purpose will get me through the tough moments.”
The staged journey, named the Swim4TheOcean, is about 1609km down the east coast of the country. Ridler will spend about six hours in the water at a time, and take six-hour breaks to rest and refuel. The swim is expected to take roughly 90 days.
Swimming unassisted means Ridler will wear togs rather than a wetsuit, but will be permitted to wear earplugs, goggles and a swim cap.
The World Open Water Swimming Association and Marathon Swimmers Federation have told organisers they’re not aware of any swims done anywhere in the world like this one.
“Sport can be an amazing unifier, and Jono is putting himself on the line here. We want Kiwis to come around Swim4TheOcean and show their support for a healthy ocean,” Live Ocean co-founder Blair Tuke said.
Jono Ridler and Blair Tuke. Photo / Subzero Images
“In Aotearoa, we’re guardians of one of the world’s most special ocean spaces. The ocean is the life support system of the planet, a food source and livelihood for many, and home to taonga species found nowhere else on the planet. There is no place for destructive practices in a healthy ocean.”
Specifically, Ridler’s effort aims to bring awareness to the practice of bottom trawling, a fishing method that involves dragging weighted nets across the ocean floor, which can damage habitats and include bycatch in its haul.
“We back ourselves as leaders and innovators here in New Zealand,” Live Ocean co-founder Peter Burling said.
“It’s time to find solutions that support our fishers to transition to practices that protect the seabed. We need to make bottom trawling part of our history, not our future.”
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
