Two Christchurch mates are in the depths of a year-long marathon swimming challenge raising funds for charity.
Jack Newsome and Matthew Simpson are swimming every day for an entire year, adding a length each day.
Beginning with a single lap in February 2024, the duo are now 344 laps deep and nearing the finish line. The cause is something close to their hearts: breast cancer.
Newsome said he had multiple family friends diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It’s not an uncommon thing unfortunately, so I guess with swimming and breast stroke, that’s how it came about and how we got the name Breast Stroke 4 Breast Cancer, and it snowballed from there.”
What they didn’t prepare for, however, was the Christchurch winter.
Simpson said they started in wetsuits but it quickly became too cold.
“We had to move into an indoor pool.”
The challenge has meant showing up in rain, hail or shine, as well as after some “big Saturday nights”, they said.
“Yeah, Sunday mornings are always the worst.”
So far, the 24-year-olds have raised close to $5000 for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ through their Givealittle page.
Newsome said people with breast cancer couldn’t choose which day they got treatment.
“That’s where every day has been so important for us, getting in the pool and getting wet at some point everyday.”
By end of the challenge, Newsome and Simpson will have swum more than 67,000 laps.
“In the future, we’d love to try something else, but this one has definitely been full on, so it’ll be nice to relax and not worry for a while I think,” Newsome said.
The pair will hang up the goggles in three weeks’ time, with the final swim of 365 laps set for February 23 flanked by friends and family who have supported them throughout the challenge.
