Hundreds compete in river swim

Swimmers warm up ahead of the race. Photo / Chris Marshall

By Chris Marshall

Four hundred swimmers zipped down the first 3.3km of the Waikato River from the Control Gates to Hipapatua Reserve on Saturday in the 2025 Huka River Swim.

Overcast but warm conditions and favourable water temperatures, with the river running at 108 cubic metres per second saw first finisher Alex Dunkley home in 26 minutes 26 seconds.

Dunkley, first all-ages men, first under-20 men, also grabbed a $100 voucher for winning the inaugural 30 second upstream sprint.

The promising open water swimmer will be back in Taupō for this Saturday’s Across the Lake swim.

Tauranga’s Bart Opten said he was more of a pool swimmer but enjoyed the “ridiculous” flow of the river. He came third in the Huka River Swim.

“It’s even faster than swimming with fins on. It’s still hard work but you go so much faster. I’m told this is what it’s like for Michael Phelps.

“I’m definitely coming again next year. I look forward to it for the whole year.”

Alex Dunkley was first down the river on Saturday. Photo / Chris Marshall

Race organiser Adam McDonald, in his second year of running the Huka River Swim with Euphoria Management Group, said he was pleased to be able to keep the event – originally started by Peter Cook – going and hoped to build it up so it was seen as a permanent staple on the Taupō event calendar.

Mercury Energy, the Taupō District Council and Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board had all been good to work with, as had the Coastguard, the Pukehina Surf Lifesaving Club and local volunteers, who provided safety personnel, he said.

He was also pleased to have local tourism and hospitality businesses offering a range of spot prizes, including the $100 tab at Two Mile Bay Sailing Centre for the upstream sprint.

As Cook has done in the past, McDonald was looking to organise a river clean-up and called for any competitors to report any rubbish they had seen in the crystal-clear water on their way downstream.

“Though I already know about the shopping trolley.”