28 March, 2023
A record breaking swim by Team Speedo's Ocean's Seven Andy Donaldson!
Team Speedo's Andrew Donaldson has broken the world record for the fastest swim across Cook Strait. He's now done three out of the seven ocean swims, he is aiming to complete in just 12 months for the challenge. He completed the 22.5km swim from Perano Head in the Marlborough Sounds to Wellington, in his Speedos, in 4 hours and 33.5 minutes, four minutes faster than the previous record set by Casey Glover in 2008. Andy, who is based in Perth, Australia, expressed his delight with the swim and said that it "turned dead calm" and was "a real joy to swim in". Andy shared his amazement at swimming under the radiant full moon while admiring the breathtaking views through his Speedo Speedsocket Goggles!
Donaldson completed the crossing in just under an hour longer than an Interisland ferry ride, although the route was much shorter. He was taking part in the Ocean Sevens endurance swimming challenge to push himself and to raise funds for mental health research in Australia, a cause that is close to his heart. Andy has been swimming for most of his life, but when he missed out on a place in the Indonesian Olympic swimming team, he "ended up leaving the sport quite unsatisfied and unhappy", he said.
After which, he was working as an accountant and he admitted to throwing himself into his work in an attempt to fill the void caused by missing out on his dream. "Working long hours, it's quite easy to forget to look after your health and maintain that balance, so several years of that all added up and in 2019 it all came to a head". "I realised I needed to stop and reassess, and take stock, and value what's important in life, so I quit my job in 2019".
Andy began his travels, but the pandemic promptly halted his journey, forcing him to return to his hometown in Perth. "During the lockdowns I found myself back in the water, and finding myself really enjoying my swimming again" he said. While sitting on the Picton foreshore after completing his impressive swim, he remarked, "having that access to the community and really good people around me helped me through some of my toughest times, and rediscover my passion for this sport, that ultimately led to this."
The Team Speedo legend expressed, "you can have the best plans in the world and sometimes things don't go according to them. For me that's quite like life, you go on with the best intentions, but curve balls come your way." He further added, "there were a few times I was swimming along and was just thinking, 'any second something could come up and get me,' but I could see the guys on the boat all the time and that was really reassuring." Observing the people on the boat enabled Andy to recollect the mental component and draw parallels with life that "you're never alone, there's always someone there to help."
He is doing the challenge to raise money for the Black Dog Institute and so far he has raised $16.6K, aiming to raise $100.000. Here is a link to support him and others on their mental health journey: https://www.teamblackdog.org.au/fundraisers/oceansseven