On Wednesday the 17th of February Carmel College Year 13 student, Caitlin O’Reilly completed her swim journey across the 28km shark-infested Foveaux Strait making her the youngest person to achieve the New Zealand Triple Crown which also includes swimming Cook Strait and Lake Taupo.She swam the Cook Strait at only 12 – as the youngest Kiwi and youngest female to make the crossing.
Caitlin started at Saddle Point Stewart Island and swam for 10hrs and 21mins finishing at Barracoutta Point South Island at 9:00 pm. Only 8 other non-wetsuit swimmers have completed the swim.
“I hadn’t planned to swim Foveaux this year but due to COVID-19, my original plans got changed. I was planning to be in California and Japan doing the Catalina Channel and Tsugaru Strait. I decided I needed a new challenge while I was waiting for the borders to re-open, I chose Foveaux. The Foveaux Strait is part of the New Zealand Triple Crown of swimming including Cook Strait, Lake Taupo and Foveaux. On Wednesday the 17th I became the youngest ever person to swim the New Zeland Triple Crown and the 2nd youngest to swim Foveaux. Regarding sealife, I didn’t see anything partly because I had my eyes closed a lot of the time Foveaux was my toughest challenge yet mentally and physically and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my amazing support crew which included my parents and coaches.”
Caitlin O’Reilly, Year 13
