Aucklanders take the plunge for Quake Appeal

Auckland’s Milford Beach was awash with goodwill this morning as an estimated 650 swimmers of all ages plunged into the ‘Swim For Christchurch’.

Over $28,000 was donated by swimmers and their supporters with organisers citing individual donations as high as $5000! All proceed from the swim were immediately banked into the Canterbury Earthquake Appeal account.

The idea for the fundraising swim was the brainchild of locals Simon Bucherer and Sarah Ley-Bucherer. The Bucherers mooted the idea on Wednesday afternoon with Scott and Natasha Rice, (organizers of the State Ocean Swim Series). The Rice’s mobilized a groundswell of support from the Auckland swimming community who turned out in force.

“Without the incredible support and enthusiasm from the swimming community and local volunteers we would never have been able to pull this off. We have been inundated with offers of help to spread the word about this event,” says Scott Rice.

Rice is quick to acknowledge the many organisations and individuals who pitched in to help including Surf Life Saving New Zealand, St John’s Ambulance, the local Police and Auckland Council.

Recreational swimmers as young as nine years old donned their wetsuits alongside well known faces Danyon Loader, Ben Fouhy, Ian Jones and former Olympic swimmers Hannah Mclean, Cameron Gibson and Jonathon Winter. World Surf lifesaving NZ representative, Steven Kent and Penny Marshall, Commonwealth Games Representative, led the charge in the charity 1km swim. There was also a 200m swim option.