Sign In / Register
Hibiscus Coast open water swimmer Jan Harm Steenkamp, 44, has become the fourth person to complete a double crossing of Lake Taupō, swimming 83kms in 28 hours and 44 minutes.
He left Lake Taupō Yacht Club in Tapuaeharuru Bay at 2pm on February 13 and swam across the lake to Braxmer Lodge on Waihi Beach, where he turned around and returned overnight to the yacht club.
He is the first person to do the double crossing since 1986, the oldest person and only the second male to achieve the feat.
Under the rules of marathon swimming, he can only wear cap, googles, togs and grease for the swim. He can stop and rest, but is not allowed touch anything and was allowed a 10 minute rest at the turnaround at Waihi Beach.
His support crew consisted of eight people on two boats with an observer and a paramedic, made up of his brother and skipper Frans Steenkamp and crew Willem Senekal, Rudy Seller, Stephan Venter, Leon and Jacques Venter. The observer was Ivan Polyntcev, and paramedic Craig Mayo.
“It’s not an individual sport, I couldn’t have done it without my amazing crew of supporters and friends who got me through to the finish,” Jan says.
Relatively new to the sport, Jam used to swim until he was 18 then stopped and it was only when he moved to the Hibiscus Coast and began swimming with the Hibiscus Coast Hibiscus Triathlon and Multisport Club at Manly Beach that he discovered a love for open water swimming.
His first marathon swim was 25kms around Whangaparāoa Peninsula to raise funds for Westpac Rescue. Then in 2022, he was inspired by Caitlin O’Reilly’s double crossing of Taupō and determined to make his own attempt. Unfortunately, his first attempt was thwarted by cold water and poor conditions, and he was pulled out at the 50kms mark. Undeterred, Jan maintained his efforts, training up to 14 hours a week, swimming 60kms at the pool to prepare.
The conditions for the second attempt were better and Jan felt more confident, he says.
“This time, the water was much warmer, about 21°C.”
However he credits his team with getting him through to the end.
“I got 6kms out from the finish and I just hit the wall, but I had made a pact with my team not to take me out unless the observer and paramedic agreed. I floated there for about an hour, I was totally spent.”
Floating also took effort due to his low body fat.
“Unfortunately, I struggle to float. Then I got some food into me and my energy kicked back in and I headed towards the finish.”
Jan is thrilled with his achievement, describing it as “an epic adventure”. For now, he is recovering and spending time with his family and friends, he admits they think he is “a bit crazy” but he credits them with playing a major role in helping him achieve his goals.
As for the future, perhaps a 100km swim, but for now rest, recovery and plenty of food is more appealing, he says.
