Swim Chats

Introducing NZ's new freshwater swim festival

What: Ignite Freshwater Swim Fest Where: Lake Pupuke / Pupukemoana, Auckland When: February 13–14, 2027 Scott Rice is back on Swim Chats this month to talk about a bra

How to save a swimming pool: the Aquadome story

When Wellington’s school pools began disappearing, Steve Hind decided to do something about it. The result was the Aquadome⁠ a thriving community swimming facility that o

The rise of SwimRun: swimming and running outdoor adventures (featuring John Hancock)

SwimRun events involve a consecutive series of swims and runs, with no stops or gear changes. You can be tethered to another person, or do it solo. The swims are open wat

Gráinne Moss on her 39-year swim journey through the Oceans Seven

Congratulations to Gráinne on her Oceans Seven!!!! Gráinne Moss is an ultramarathon swimmer from Wellington, New Zealand who recently completed the Oceans Seven, a serie

Swim smarter, not harder with SwimMastery coach Tracey Baumann

Tracey Baumann is the co-founder and head coach at SwimMastery, which uses evidence-based methods to teach the correct, connected body position in the water – helping us

'Wet July' with the Scarborough Dippers and their cold-water community

The Scarborough Dippers began with a bet between four friends in a coffee shop on a winter's day: who would take the plunge into the cold sea? Ten years later, the group

Squad coach and gym owner Timon Wilkinson on making lessons fun for kids and adults

Timon Wilkinson is the co-owner of Bonobos gym for kids and adults in Wellington and runs weekly Bonobos Swim Squads at Freyberg, WRAC, Te Ngaengae, and Te Huia Pools.

Diving into the world of sea sponges with Professor James Bell

James Bell is a Professor of Marine Biology at Victoria University of Wellington – Te Herenga Waka, and a huge fan of sea sponges. Check out his colourful underwater phot

Corrina Connor on swimming NZ's Triple Crown, extreme ice miles, and having fun in inhospitable conditions

Corrina Connor is a Wellington ultramarathon swimmer, ice swimmer, musician, and the MC of Wellington's popular Sea Panels at Te Matapihi central library. In this episod

Ruby Fresh's Eddie Spearing on designing wetsuits, running the Ruby swim, and the joys of Lake Wānaka

At the time of recording, Eddie was recovering from a mountain biking accident so we talk about that at the start of the episode. All the best with your recovery, Eddie!

Swimming and sea poems with special guest Sinéad Kehoe

Poetry captures the sensory delights and desires (and sometimes death and despair) of swimming and the allure of open water. In this episode, returning guest Sinéad Kehoe

Mountains to Sea Wellington’s Zoe Studd on the joys, challenges and possibilities of connecting people with the water

Zoe Studd is the co-founder and ‘Chief Enthusiasm Officer’ of Mountains to Sea Wellington and the Project Lead of Love Rimurimu. She helps people of all ages to connect w

‘Jump In’ author Nicola McCloy on NZ’s best swimming spots – and how she found them

NZ author Nicola McCloy’s new book ‘Jump In: An Insider’s Guide to New Zealand’s Best Beaches, Lakes, Rivers, Pools and Hot Springs’ was published in late 2025, with stun

RE-RELEASE – Sir Bernard Freyberg's heroic wartime swim and our ANZAC tribute (with special guest John Hancock)

This episode was originally released on 11/04/25. Our first 'swim history' episode! Featuring special guest John Hancock, a marathon swimmer and the organiser of this ye

Triple Crown swimmer Wen Erh Hsu on the importance of enjoying every stroke

Wen Erh Hsu completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (English Channel, Catalina Channel and 20 Bridges in Manhattan) within one season in 2024. She is the first

Seti Afoa on running Samoa Events, learning to swim, and overcoming our fear of the deep

Seti Afoa is the Director of Samoa Events, a swim business that offers tours, events, and retreats in Moananui (the Pacific Ocean). Seti was born in Samoa, in a coastal

Kate Wareham on learning to swim with epilepsy

This episode was published on March 26 to coincide with Epilepsy Awareness Day (#PurpleDay). Visit ⁠⁠Epilepsy NZ⁠⁠ to learn more and ⁠buy Kate's swim towels and caps⁠, wh

Dr Abi Lafbery on wild swimming, waterways, and how we swim in a changing world

Dr Abi Lafbery has a PhD in outdoor swimming from Lancaster University in the UK. Her thesis focussed on the health, thoughts, experiences and behaviours of wild/open wat

Coach Dougal Dunlop on founding the Washing Machines, teaching swim skills, and enjoying all-weather swims at Oriental Bay

Dougal Dunlop is one of Wellington's swim legends and has been swimming and coaching for over 50 years. Now in his 70s, he continues to coach at Freyberg Pool and swims a

Bryn Williams on building confidence, feeling the rhythm, and enjoying our ocean playground

Bryn Williams is a Wellington ocean swimmer and is a great person to swim with. He helps nervous newbies (like me, a few years ago) and encourages us to have fun in the w