Auckland swimmer Jono Ridler has set a new Foveaux Strait swimming record of 7 hours and 52 minutes, about 38 minutes faster than the time set in 2016 by Chloe Harris of Christchurch.

Ridler (31) completed the 28.6km crossing without a wetsuit and is the second swimmer to have tackled the treacherous strait in a week.

Caitlin O’Reilly (16) conquered the marathon swim last Wednesday (February 17) in 10 hours, becoming the youngest swimmer to make the crossing and complete the New Zealand “triple crown” (Cook Strait, Lake Taupo and Foveaux Strait). 

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Speaking to the Southland App just two hours after exiting the water, Ridler said his next mission would be a meal of fish and chips from the Galley Takeaways in Bluff.

Ridler said he first visited the Galley Takeaways last year, when he and his support crew did a reconnaissance trip to Bluff, and they were invited back for a free feed if he completed the crossing.

After his fish dinner, Ridler was not sure what he would do next. One thing was for sure, he had no more big swims planned for now.

“I’ll have a bit of a rest! I think that is really important to have something like a Foveaux Strait to look forward to. Foveaux was always something that had scared me. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone . . . I am always looking for challenges like that,” Ridler said.

Jono Ridler relaxes at Bluff after his big swim. PHOTO: Paula Bull.

Ridler said he did not feel too bad after his swim, which began about 8.20am at Saddle Point on Stewart Island and finished soon after 4pm on the shore near the back of Bluff Hill.

He said the more recent previous swims across Foveaux Strait had always started on Stewart island, but the first few swimmers to tackle the challenge went from Bluff.

Starting at Stewart Island seemed to lend itself to more success with navigating the strait’s notorious tides, he said.

“My rudimentary understanding of tides is the tidal flow is from east to west, pulling off Stewart Island. So that would make it a little hard at the end of a swim. I think the first swimmer to do it, John Van Leeuwen, first time he did it he failed because he missed Stewart Island and was swept up west with the tide.”

Conditions were “magnificent” this afternoon and Ridler said he had to remind himself he was not swimming in a lake.

There was some chop from the South East towards the end of his swim, but on the whole the winds were low.

It had been his secondary intention to attempt the record if conditions suited, so throughout his effort he was asking his support crew for updates on his pace.

Ridler said he had a sense he was on track to break the record and at one stage had even hoped to finish faster, in 7 hours 30 minutes, but that time did not eventuate.

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He credited his support team for helping him with pacing. Local skipper Rewi Bull, who owns the Shangri La cray fishing boat, had been instrumental in navigating a good course through the tides.

Three Oreti Surf Club members, Scott, Owen and Timothy, were also on the journey across the strait, and had done a fantastic job, Ridler said.

Other supporters included Wanaka swimming coach Belinda Donaldson (nee Shields) who conquered the strait in 1984 and Simon Olliver, who completed the crossing in 2017.  

Also on the boat were Ridler's girlfriend, Sarah, friend Bre, and Wanaka swimmer Camille Gulick, along with Paula Bull of Invercargill, who said in her Facebook post that she only met Ridler yesterday after some of his support team had to pull out.

Conditions were "magnificent" for Ridler's swim from Stewart Island to Bluff. PHOTO: Camille Gulick

Like O’Reilly, Ridler has now completed the New Zealand “triple crown” after completing Cook Strait in 2019, and Lake Taupo in 2020.

He has also done many other long distances swims of about 10km.

When not swimming, Ridler works for logistics company Fliways in Auckland as a client operations manager.

Ten swimmers – five men and five women - have now successfully completed the Foveaux Strait crossing.

Dutch immigrant John van Leeuwen is recorded as the first successful swimmer. He swam it on 7 February 1963, in a time of 13 hours 40 minutes.

Meda McKenzie was the first woman to swim the strait, in 1979.

The previous male record for the fastest Foveaux Strait swim crossings was held by Todd Utteridge (8 hours 40 mins, 1989).

Chloe Harris holds the female record of 8 hours 30 mins (2016).

READ MORE HERE: Caitlin O'Reilly conquers Foveaux Strait