25 Feb 2018

Rare feat achieved with Cook Strait swim

4:41 pm on 25 February 2018

A Czech woman has swum across the Cook Strait, despite stormy conditions, to complete the Ocean's Seven challenge.

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Photo: Niwa/Craig Stevens

Swimmers must cross large distances in seven global ocean swims to complete the challenge.

Abhejali Bernadova finished the crossing in just over 13 hours, becoming the tenth person in the world to complete the Ocean's Seven and the fourth woman.

She said the conditions were tough.

"Maybe for about three hours, or a little longer I basically swam but still actually the current was taking us back, the direction to Wellington and then there were big swells and I was sea sick for the first five hours and then a little bit more."

Abhejali Bernadova said she was also stung by a jellyfish within the first 30 minutes of getting in the water.