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International swimmers looking forward to big event
Top international swimmers looking forward to Chelsea harbour swim
Two top international ocean swimmers are looking forward to joining hundreds of Aucklanders in the annual cross-harbour Chelsea swim this weekend - and one of them will be raising money for a Kiwi cancer battler while they are at it.
Kiwi-born Tracy Clark and South African Roger Finch bring a rare shared record of swimming some of world’s great challenges, but say the Chelsea swim will be a real treat as a warm up for an upcoming Cook St attempt and because of the fun and long standing community spirit of the event.
Raised in West Auckland and now living in the UK, Tracy got hooked on English Channel swimming in her 40s and hasn’t looked back. Along with a trophy for crossing the English Channel in the Most Arduous Conditions, she’s conquered the Strait of Gibraltar and California’s daunting Catalina Channel. Braving an icy water temperature of just 3.6 degree, she was also the first person in the Netherlands to swim an Ice Mile.
Roger is a rare Triple Crown achiever with English and Catalina Channels and a Manhattan Island Marathon swim all under his belt.
Tracy will also be raising funds for a Givealittle campaign for a childhood New Zealand swimming friend, Rochell Adams, who has advanced cancer. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/rochell
The two swimmers have completed final training in South Africa this week before coming to New Zealand.
“Auckland is such a beautiful place to swim, and the Chelsea crossing such a popular event we are really looking forward to being there on Sunday. New Zealand swimmers might not know how lucky they are, but in just the last week while I’ve been in South Africa I’ve had three more international swimmers say they are keen to visit and sign up for Cook St. “
She will also be advising them to try one of the Auckland Central Masters swims first.
Run by the Auckland Central Masters, a volunteer community group, the 2.4km Chelsea swim is a longstanding favourite, with swimmers crossing from to Pt Erin to the beautiful park grounds of the Chelsea sugar refinery.
This year’s swim is on Sunday February 21, with swimmers assembling at quarter-to-six at Pt Erin by the pools.
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