Excited for my next phase with Emirates Team New Zealand as we build toward Naples 2027.
The prelim regatta in Cagliari next week is a great opportunity for our sailors to sharpen their race craft and it’s awesome to see a good mix of emerging talent and experience onboard the boats for us.
I’ll be continuing to work closely with the design and sailing teams to ensure we have the fastest possible boat and strongest sailing team to lift the cup for the fourth time! 👊🏽
Yesterday, @jonoridler and @blairtuke took the Swim4TheOcean petition, carrying the voices of 73,647 people, to @nzparliament .
They talked with MPs from across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister @christopherluxon calling for stronger action to protect the ocean.
We also hosted supporters, partners, and decision-makers at a parliamentary reception, bringing the conversation to life.
This is what collective action looks like. 🌊
The message is clear. Aotearoa wants a healthier ocean.
The Swim4TheOcean petition calling for an end to bottom trawling has now closed 👏
@jonoridler and Live Ocean will meet with political decision-makers from across the House tomorrow (Wednesday, 29 April) in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, as the Swim4TheOcean message, backed by 73,647 unique signatures, is taken to Parliament.
(Note: While preparing the final submission, we audited the data. We found some enthusiastic supporters who signed more than once. We love your passion - but we needed be sure we only counted each person once.)
Meetings are scheduled with a number of cross-party MPs, including Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, alongside Mr Grant McCallum, MP for Northland, who will present the petition to the House, shortly after Parliament sits, around 2pm.
Ngā mihi to all of you who backed this mission, signed, and supported across the 90+ days 💙 We’re proud to carry your voices to Parliament.
Tomorrow is an important step – but not the end. We will keep pushing until we see commitment and action from decision-makers. A healthy ocean for a healthy future 🌊
"These 200km to come are the hardest 200km of the mission and it's going to test them like they haven't been tested yet."
Live Ocean co-founder @blairtuke witnessed the moment @jonoridler stepped into the ocean on 5 January in North Cape. As he reflects on what the team has accomplished over the last 10 weeks, he paints a picture of what is ahead on this final stretch to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and what it will require of the team 💪
Jono is over 1150km on his world-record attempt at the longest unassisted staged swim, with 213km left. He’s open water swimming down the east coast of Te Ika-a-Māui the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand towards Wellington - to raise awareness for a healthy ocean and call for an end to bottom trawling 🌊
As set our sights on the finale of this epic mission, get behind Jono's efforts by signing the call for an end to bottom trawling 📣 Let's send a message together - that it’s time for New Zealand to stop being an outlier and protect the ocean’s most vital habitats 🌊
✍️ Sign today at the link in bio / swim4theocean.org
Live Ocean co-founder @blairtuke joined @jonoridler and the mission team back on the water yesterday (Thursday, 19 March) and with some (strong) encouragement from Jono, jumped in for a stint as his support swimmer 🏊♂️
It was a very different experience from the last time Blair swam with Jono back on 28 January on a summer's day in the Hauraki Gulf ☀️
Jono's now swum for over 395 hours since departing Waikuku Beach on 5 January, and clocked over 1152km in that time 🤯 Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington is now just 213km away 🌊 📣 Support Jono's Swim4TheOcean by signing the call for an end to bottom trawling and spreading the word
Anyone can join the 32,300 others who have already signed at swim4theocean.org / the link in bio ✍️ Let's get to 50,000 signatures!
Yesterday (Thursday, 19 March) was the fifth consecutive day of back-to-back, two-swim efforts of 25km-plus. Jono logged 42 hours in the ocean and covered around 124km down the Wairarapa coastline. The distance to go is now 213.14km 🤯
Facing grey skies and choppy seas, the team left Herbertville, clocking 4 hours and around 10km by lunchtime.
After a short rest, they were back out again at 2.43pm for the second swim of the day, with Live Ocean Co-founder Blair Tuke on board.
Encouraged by Jono, Blair pulled on some togs and jumped in for a stint as support swimmer, reporting a “full ice-cream headache” once back on board 🏊♂️
“I was behind Jono, and I was just trying to keep up. I could see him, and he was powering through stroke after stroke - crazy energy. This man is just going for it, with Wellington in his sights," Blair said.
“Personally, I found it really hard. The cold was super hard to contend with and this choppy sea state, I’ve never swum in anything like that before and it made it really hard to breathe – just hanging on to Jono’s strength and trying to stay with him."
The day finished with a 4-hour, 9km push in easing conditions, before coming ashore at Ākitio just before 7pm.
Reflecting, Jono said, “Well that’s a wrap on this five-day block. There’s been some really cool moments - of course the dolphins 🐬 That’s a life highlight. The mollymawks coming by and landing right next to me, and swimming with not just one, but two Black Foils swimmers.
“There have been some challenges – the incessant stings of the barbed wire jellyfish 🪼, cooling water temperatures, and just the sheer relentlessness of this programme."
Jono’s effort isn’t going unnoticed. More than 32,000 people have signed the mission’s call for an end bottom trawling, agreeing it’s time for New Zealand to stop being an outlier and protect the ocean’s most vital habitats 🌊
📣 That’s tens of thousands of people calling on the Government to end bottom trawling on all seamounts – at home and on the high seas – by the end of 2027, and to activate a quick transition away from bottom trawling entirely.
✍️ Sign to support at swim4theocean.org - let's get to 50,000 signatures!
Captain Kane 🫡
Epic having Kane Williamson on board giving us a few pointers 😉
Get you tickets to the ITM Auckland New Zealand Sail Grand Prix NOW🏆🇳🇿
14/15 February
🔗 Tickets, link in bio
#sailgp #cricket #backtheblackfoils
Back on home waters 🇳🇿
See you tomorrow 💙
Get you tickets to the ITM Auckland New Zealand Sail Grand Prix NOW🏆🇳🇿
14/15 February
🔗 Tickets, link in bio #sailgp
