Tim Wilson completes marathon swim for children's hospital

Tim Wilson, who grew up in Chestnut Avenue in Heworth and now lives in Auckland, New Zealand, swam Lake Taupō in the country’s North Island on Sunday February 11.

So far, the 43-year-old said his efforts have raised NZD $17,000 in donations for Starship Foundation, where he works as a corporate services manager, and which raises funds for Starship, New Zealand’s national children’s hospital.

Tim said the lake is the equivalent width of the country of Singapore and claimed that more people have climbed Mount Everest than completed his challenge, and very few Brits.

Tim also said: ”I’m the first Yorkshireman to complete it.

“My driver was Starship. I’m blessed to have two kids - Ruby and Archie - who’ve got their health, but I see huge challenges that these kids face every day, and their huge acts of bravery as well.”

Tim was greeted by five-year-old daughter Ruby and seven-year-old son Archie after the marathon crossing (Image: Gemma Wilson)

Tim said he’s not particularly athletic and that a few years ago a friend had laughed at his attempt at a 2.5 kilometre swim, so Tim said he would double that distance every year until deciding to take on the challenge of Lake Taupō.

Tim said: “My friend is now eating humble pie – and I made him donate!

“The swimming itself wasn’t so hard, it was just fitting it in around everything else, what with work and family life.

“My wife Gemma has been an absolute rock and bought into the idea of the swim as a real focus.

“It’s a mental game, there were times when I knew I’d miss picking the kids up from school or that my friends would be at the pub, but I had to have the focus.

Tim said although the water temperature was above 20 degrees, if the sun went behind the clouds he still felt goosebumps (Image: Tim Wilson)

Tim entered the waters of Lake Taupō at 3am – he said he’d never swam in the dark before and ended up feeling disoriented and seasick.

But after some words of encouragement from via the accompanying dinghy from swim coach Philip Rush, a ‘living legend’ of the pursuit according to Tim, and someone who’s done a double-crossing of Lake Taupo, Tim got his pace up to 3.5 kilometres per hour until ‘my arms kinda gave way’ at the 20 kilometre point.

Tim said: “So I went to my friend Ellie, who was my support for nutritional requirements, carbohydrates and electrolytes and she told me to man-up and she brought it all back to the cause of doing it for the children.”

He took in the food whilst lying on his back for 30 seconds every 30 minutes.

He said his swim would not be official if he touched the boat.

Tim said to help pass the time, as well as counting his strokes, he also said he was able to recount his paper round in York, ticking off the colours of the various front doors along the route.

And the next challenge? Tim said: “I’m going to concentrate on work and family and be more present but people are reaching out to do complete the triple crown of New Zealand open water swimming – a 26 kilometre swim of Cook Strait and the 28.6 kilometre swim of Foveaux Strait.

“I’ve kinda got the bug but will take a year off as I need to get stronger if I’m going to do it.

“But I’m a big believer that a person can do anything if they put their mind to it.”

Tim Wilson’s fundraising target for Starship is NZD $20,000 and the fundraising site is: https://fundraise-for-starship.raisely.com/tim-wilson.