Special Olympics swimmers break record for Lake Taupō crossing

Tate Pichon during the Lake Taupo crossing.

Two Special Olympics swimmers have completed a 30.1km swim across Lake Taupō to raise funds for their club mates to attend the National Summer Games later this year.

In the process, Tate Pichon, 25, broke the record for the west-east crossing, climbing out of the water after 10 hours and 26 minutes, followed 23 minutes later by 22-year-old Joshua Vegar.

Despite never swimming more than 20km before the race, the two were in good spirits during and after the crossing.

"Next year you can do this and I'll be on the boat," Tate told his support crew as he climbed out of the water on the eastern shore of Lake Taupō.

"How do I feel? Good. Don't ask me again," grinned the athlete who has been swimming for North Harbour Special Olympics for around six years, while Joshua has been part of the Waitakere Special Olympics club for more than a decade.

Pichon's father Ray said the idea for the fundraiser was born last year when the New Zealand Special Olympics National Summer Games had to be postponed by a year due to the Covid pandemic.

"So they have been building up to this for some time," said Ray Pichon.

Even though their physical and mental strength were severely tested, both athletes still had energy for some terrific banter, splashing the support crews, who in return retaliated with water pistols.

Ray Pichon said that the two friends had done several long-distance swims before, but the Taupō crossing was a whole new challenge.

"They have done quite a few 5km and 10km swims before and have done one 20km swim, but this will be next level," said Ray Pichon, who estimates that the duo have done more than 400km in the water this year to prepare for their crossing.

The duo have become familiar faces in the Ocean Swim Series, the Takapuna Beach series and O Swim events where they have already conquered Akaroa Harbour, Wellington Harbour, Under the Harbour Bridge and Bean Rock Lighthouse events.

The Special Olympics athletes have been training with ultra-swimmers Claire Hobson and Susan Sherwen, who recently crossed Foveaux Strait.

"The support has been absolutely amazing," said Ray Pichon.

The swimmers hope their fundraiser will raise enough funds to help pay for the North Harbour and Waitakere clubs to attend the National Summer Games in Hamilton, from December 8.

Over 1200 athletes will compete in 10 sports across eight venues around Hamilton, which will be the biggest sporting event in New Zealand in 2022.

According to longswims.com, the previous record for the Taupō crossing from Te Papa Bay to Waitahanui Beach was 10 hours and 48 minutes, set by Mike Cochrane in 2019.