Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for Swim Chats
SportsSwimming

Swim Chats

Shona Riddell

Every swimmer has a story to tell.

Writer and swimmer Shona Riddell chats to marathon swimmers, dippers, coaches, ocean experts, and more. Whether you’re a swimmer yourself, or just interested in stories about the sea and people expanding their comfort zones, you'll enjoy these swim chats. Please hit the 'Follow' button so you don’t miss an episode, leave a star rating, and share with friends.

Enjoying the podcast? Support it on patreon.com/swimchats, or buy me a coffee via https://ko-fi.com/swimchats

Play
Open in
  • 25 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 48 min
  • English

Episodes 25

NewestOldestLongest
All5Unplayed5In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S2 · E3
    February 23 · 1 hr 1 min

    Bryn Williams on building confidence, feeling the rhythm, and enjoying our ocean playground

    Bryn Williams is a Wellington ocean swimmer and is a great person to swim with. He helps nervous newbies (like me, a few years ago) and encourages us to have fun in the water whether it's jumping off the pontoons or doing handstands in the shallows. He's full of fun and lifts everyone's spirits just by showing up. Bryn moved to NZ from Wales in the late 1970s, at the age of 14. When Bryn was young his uncle Tommy, who was in the Navy during WW2 and witnessed multiple drownings, taught his dozens of nephews and nieces to swim in the fresh, choppy Irish Sea. Bryn learned to navigate the waves and the jelllies. and as an adult he finds peace and joy in the sea, calling it his "Prozac". No wetsuit, no goggles, and sometimes accompanied by his golden retriever Ruby, a competitive harbour swimmer. Bryn and I recorded this episode at his house and it's a great chat, so grab a cuppa and enjoy! * Jono Ridler is currently swimming down the east coast of NZ's North Island (1,600km over 90 days) to raise awareness of destructive bottom trawling in the ocean. Find out more at ⁠swim4theocean.com⁠ and sign the petition. * Visit ⁠⁠StokedNZ⁠⁠ for your towelies and get 15% off at checkout with the code SWIMCHATS Support the Swim Chats podcast ($5 per month) via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

    • Transcript
  • S2 · E2
    February 9 · 47 min

    Danielle Falconer’s 40km swim for dementia: why every stroke matters

    Update: SHE DID IT!!! On March 21 2026, Danielle swam across Lake Taupō (40.7km in 16h27m). Well done, Danielle! Also, her fundraising for Dementia NZ has raised over $15,000. Thanks to everyone who has donated. * At the time of recording this podcast (Feb 9, 2026), Danielle Falconer was preparing to swim the length of Lake Taupō (40.2km) in late February to raise awareness and support for those affected by dementia. Through her swim she is fundraising for Dementia NZ – visit her Givealittle page for more details. In this episode we talk about: Danielle’s personal reasons for wanting to grow awareness and support around dementia and fundraise for Dementia NZ. We talk about the impact of dementia on the tens of thousands of Kiwis affected by it, as well as on their families, caregivers, and community. The nuts and bolts of planning and training for an ultramarathon swim: having a swim programme, nutrition, support crew, and a feeding plan. The need for flexibility and adaptability in the lead-up to a big swim: once the training is done, having to accept things (like weather!) that are out of our control. Working with ultramarathon swim coach and world record holder Phil Rush (who has his own episode of Swim Chats). The crucial support and encouragement of family and friends, and training around other life commitments (work, kids, life admin … ). Swimming in Wellington: the community, the locations, the pool squads, and the fresh and choppy open water. Follow Danielle on Instagram (@swim_taupo) or via her Swim Taupō website for updates on her swim Visit Danielle's Givealittle page to donate to Dementia NZ (make a one-off donation, pledge an amount per hour or km of Danielle's swim, or complete a free ‘brain booster' activity) Visit the Dementia NZ website to learn more about dementia and find support * Jono Ridler is currently swimming down the east coast of NZ's North Island (1,600km over 90 days) to raise awareness of destructive bottom trawling in the ocean. Find out more at ⁠⁠swim4theocean.com⁠⁠ and sign the petition! * Visit ⁠⁠StokedNZ⁠⁠ for your towelies and get 15% off at checkout with the code SWIMCHATS Support the Swim Chats podcast ($5 per month) via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

    • Transcript
  • S2 · E1
    January 4 · 43 min

    Laura Quilter on returning to competitive swimming, coaching herself, and keeping it fun

    Laura Quilter is a Masters and Ice Swimming world record holder, a competitive sprint swimmer, and runs a strength and swim coaching business called Aura Move. Laura retired from competitive swimming (butterfly and freestyle) in 2016, in her mid-20s. Eight years later she discovered that she was faster than ever and qualified for her first World Aquatics Championships. Unusually for a competitive swimmer, she coaches herself. Laura's how-to videos on Instagram have inspired a following of 70K and led to her offering virtual and in-person strength and swim coaching via Aura Move. In this episode we talk about returning to competitive swimming in her 30s, her strength training, her experiences at the NZ Ice Swimming Champs (breaking four world records in 2024), coaching her dad in his first competitive swim event, and approaching swimming with a spirit of curiosity, adventure, and fun. Visit Laura's Aura Move website Follow Laura @Auramovenz on Instagram * Visit ⁠⁠StokedNZ⁠⁠ for your towelies and get 15% off at checkout with the code SWIMCHATS Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E32
    Dec 17, 2025 · 27 min

    Scott Rice on the Z Manu World Champs, bringing people together, and the art of dive bombs

    The Z Manu World Champs is now in its third year and is making a splash as a fun water sports event that brings people together. A 'manu' is a v-shaped dive bomb. It has Māori / Pasifika origins and can be performed off a bridge, wharf, diving board, jetty – even off a horse – into any body of deep water, as long as it's done safely. There are qualifying events being held around Aotearoa NZ (and on the Gold Coast) over the summer and the Grand Finals will be held in Auckland in March. Manu World Champs founder Scott Rice came on the podcast to discuss what inspired him to create this event, how they judge the best manu (splash height is important but there's an art to a good manu), and how it celebrates people, communities, and the water. Scott is a former competitive swimmer who also founded the NZ Ocean Swim Series and now runs Ocean Swim Fiji, a 'swimcation' offering three swims across five days (and zero worries). Visit the Z Manu World Champs website Follow the Manu World Champs on Instagram Check out Ocean Swim Fiji * Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E31
    Dec 5, 2025 · 13 min

    The Felixstowe Christmas Day Dip with James Fox-Golding

    It's a Swim Chats festive episode! The seaside town of Felixstowe in the UK hosts an annual Christmas Day Dip to raise funds for St Elizabeth Hospice. 2025 is the event's 21st year and last Christmas there were 650 intrepid souls who made a winter's dash into the chilly North Sea, dressed in all sorts of festive outfits. The hospice's Events and Challenges manager, James Fox-Golding, came on Swim Chats to talk about the joy of the event, how it's grown over the past 20 years, and its significance as a fundraiser for a service that provides medical attention and support to people with life-limiting illnesses. ​Learn more about the Felixstowe Christmas Day Dip ​Make a donation to St Elizabeth Hospice ​Watch That Christmas, a 2024 animated film that closes (no spoilers involved) with a heartwarming community swim! It's on Netflix. Leave a comment below the episode to share your own Christmas swim/dip/plunge traditions. Here in Wellington, I enjoy a wharf jump with friends on Christmas morning. We also have the 'Twelve Bays of Christmas' event organised by Kate Camp, who has her own episode. Photo courtesy of St Elizabeth Hospice * Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

    • Transcript
Showing 21–25 of 25 episodes