Facing Eddies, Undertows, Rapids With Rob Hutchings
Courtesy of Rob Hutchings, Clutha River, New Zealand.
Rob Hutchings swam the length of the impossible, the full length of the powerful Clutha River – or Mata-Au – the second longest river in New Zealand and the longest in the South Island.
Between February 20th – 24th 2020, 44-year-old Rob Hutchings swam 256 km from the outlet at Lake Wanaka to the mouth at the Pacific Ocean, escorted by Sam Blummers and Laura Tomson.
He also gives advice based on his first-hand rapids swimming experiences. He explains how to swim in the rapids and deal with rocks, eddies and undertows.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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