Approximately 3pm yesterday afternoon (18th March) Eliza Cummings entered Lake Taupo at the northern end – the beach at the Taupo Yacht Club, to begin her double crossing.
What a challenge she is undertaking! Just over 80km to swim.
I’m sending calm weather vibes and warm water thoughts your way Eliza as you embark on this huge adventure.
Picture from the Taupo Yacht Club webcam approx 3.25pm – lovely looking conditions on the lake.
Update: 8.30pm it’s now dark outside and Eliza is halfway through her north to south crossing, 20km done in 5hrs 30min.
Update: Midnight, 9hrs swimming so far, 31.5km down, only approx. 9km to the end of the first leg and her halfway mark. Eliza is smashing this night time swimming!
Update: Halfway in this huge challenge was reached in just under 12hrs (unofficial), approx. 40.8km swum, and it looked from the tracker like Eliza just turned around and carried straight on into her south to north lap. Not much of a break/rest at all.
Update: ok, it’s daytime properly here on the 19th March, I stayed up way too late last night watching Eliza’s bleeping tracker. I can’t imagine how tired she must be by now. Current time is 9.45am, 18hrs 44min into her double Lake Taupo swim – 57.5km swum.
Update: 2.25pm What an incredible swim we are watching. Eliza has been swimming for 23hrs 24mins and has covered 68km. Can I call the last 12 or 13km the home straight? I hope she is soaking up all the good vibes on social media and from around the open water swimming world. Go Eliza !!
Update: 5.30pm Eliza has swept past Rangatira point, now in the bay proper 26hrs30min, 75.6km – only 6ish km to go. The sun is shining, there looks to be only a slight ripple of breeze on the water. What a magic swim!
Let’s remember the context here: the only successful female double length of Taupo swim was completed in February 1986 by Sandra Blewett. Her double took 33hrs21min.
Update: 6.30pm I’m scanning the Lake Taupo Yacht Club webcam hoping to see Eliza and her support crew now at 27hrs30min, 77.5km – the lake is looking so calm now, though there’s a bit more cloud cover.
Update: I’m sad to report that Eliza’s challenge was abandoned tonight, sometime after 7pm. I hope she’s doing ok, after an enormous and inspiring swim.
