Extreme swimmer Nathalie Pohl was the first German and at the same time the fastest European to swim through the Cook Strait in New Zealand on her third attempt. With an outstanding time of 06:33:00 hours, the 28-year-old reached the finish on Ohau Bay on March 1 at 16:30 local time (UTC+13).
A strait with special dangers
Image: nathaliepohl.de
Distance covered: 26 km (due to the current, the distance covered is significantly greater than the direct connection)
The passage between the northern and southern main islands of New Zealand is considered to be particularly treacherous. Worldwide, only 130 extreme swimmers have even managed this crossing. In addition to lively ship traffic, there are often sharks and numerous seismically active faults on the seabed, which result in dangerous currents. The Cook Strait is also known for its stormy seas. Depending on how strong the current is, the length of the swim can be extended by many hours. Nathalie Pohl has also experienced twice that the forces of nature in New Zealand are not to be trifled with. In 2019 and 2020 she had to give up her attempts after struggling against the current for hours and still sometimes swimming “backwards”.
Crossing was on the brink due to flooding, cyclones and earthquakes
The motivation was all the greater this year. But the extreme swimmer had to worry about the crossing for a long time. Heavy rainfall caused flooding in New Zealand. After that, the cyclone "Gabrielle" and an earthquake made the start almost impossible. Nathalie Pohl waited for better weather for more than three weeks. Meanwhile, she continued to train in a disciplined manner, but mentally the uncertainty was not an easy situation. “New Zealand didn't make it easy for me. Until the end I wasn't sure if I would be able to start at all. Staying focused for such a long period of time was a real challenge. Even during the swim, the conditions were anything but optimal.
Image: nathaliepohl.de
The weather suddenly changed again. I'm just happy that I made it after all," explains the 28-year-old. However, she was never deterred by adversity. Nathalie Pohl is particularly characterized by her iron will. “In open water swimming, it is all about mental strength. No matter how well you prepare, there is always a residual risk. To master such a challenge with my own strength is pure adrenaline for me!” she says.
Intensive preparation is mandatory
Image: nathaliepohl.de
Months of preparation preceded their success. For her crossings, Nathalie Pohl completes a very time-consuming training session that goes far beyond the actual swimming. In addition to hundreds of hours in the water, this also includes special strength training and exercises to prepare for the dark and cold. Her trainer Joshua Neuloh explains: “In December we prepared for the Cook Strait in Portugal. We were in the Atlantic with waves two meters high, a water temperature of 16 degrees and violent storms. No boat was out. Even the Portuguese Navy had its fleet in port. But Nathalie was in the sea and trained.” Last but not least, food intake, which has to be done from the water every 30 minutes due to the enormous strain, is also a big issue. With strong waves like in New Zealand, it is a feat of strength to eat anything at all.
Within reach: to be the first German to cross the "Oceans' Seven".
Nathalie Pohl has proven once again that all these hardships and years of training pay off. With the Cookstrasse, the Marburg extreme swimmer successfully mastered the sixth of a total of seven stages on the way to the "Ocean's Seven", the most important long-distance distances in open water swimming. Stage seven, the freezing cold North Channel between Ireland and Scotland, is scheduled for September. If everything fits, Nathalie Pohl can crown herself "Queen of the Seas". She would be the 23rd person worldwide and at the same time the first German and youngest swimmer ever to have mastered this challenge.
Via Cookstrasse
- The Cook Strait separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
- She was named after the British captain, explorer and navigator James Cook.
- It is 26 kilometers wide (swimming distance is always longer due to the current).
- Special dangers for extreme swimmers: strong currents, storms, sharks.
- There are only about ten attempts to swim through it each year.
- Water temperature: 15 to 18 degrees.
- So far, 130 swimmers have made the crossing.
- It is one of the seven stages of the "Ocean's Seven".
- Digression: In the “Ocean's Seven” you have to swim through seven straits on five continents. It is important that the athlete starts and arrives on land without touching a support boat or wearing a wetsuit. Only 22 swimmers worldwide have achieved this. Nathalie Pohl would be the first German woman.
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