WEvirtual Challenges

We've created a virtual challenge inspired by the legend of Hinemoa and Tutanekai.

Hinemoa and Tutanekai are legendary figures from Aotearoa whose tale of forbidden love transcends boundaries. In the legend, Hinemoa, a beautiful and spirited young lady lived at Owhata fell in love with the talented and handsome Tutanekai who lived on Mokoia Island. The relationship remained hidden due to family disapproval. Determined to be with Tutanekai, Hinemoa embarks on a perilous swim across Lake Rotorua (Te Rotorua nui a Kahumatamomoe), guided only by the sound of Tutanekai’s flute.

Join the challenge on the link below:
https://form.jotform.com/wevirtualchallenges/hinemoa-swims-registration-form

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15QBwtJA57/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Sam Muir-James is probably someone most of you have never heard of. He has autism. He was a Manukau masters swimmer.

He swam across Lake Taupo in 2017. He swam Cook Strait in 2019, aged 33.

Today he swam across the Foveaux Strait in 8 hours and 20 minutes making him the first special Olympian/ swimmer with an impairment to complete the "triple crown".

What a huge achievement.

The NZ Open Water Swimming page says only 11 others have done the triple crown and all but three are female. https://www.nzowsa.nz/new-zealand-triple-crown

In fact only one male has swam Foveaux Strait in a faster time than Muir-James, according to NZOWSA page .

He is is also believed to be the first person with autism to complete the 26-kilometre Cook Strait swim. Maybe even Lake Taupo, too. That's just awesome, right? Triple first.

UPDATE Have been told that there are at least two other swimmers waiting to be officially recognised as Triple Crown swimmers; Breanna Ward and David Edger as they await their Foveaux swims to be ratified.

[Update 2- see post dated 19 February for more on Muir-James]

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