The 17-year-old completed the Lake Taupo double crossing in 28 hours
A 17-year-old endurance swimmer has become the third person ever to swim across Lake Taupo and back, in order to raise funds for a Westpac initiative.
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Caitlin O’Reilly completed the 80.4km double crossing in 28 hours and two minutes, without taking any breaks outside the water – an achievement she used as an opportunity to fundraise for the Auckland Westpac rescue helicopter.
Raising more than $6,500 to date, the native Aucklander decided to donate to the Westpac Chopper Swim because she’s studying health science at AUT, aiming to go into paramedicine, with the goal of saving lives one day.
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The only two previous double Taupo swims were completed by Kiwi marathon swimmers Philip Rush in 1985 and Sandra Blewett in 1986.
