More Info →Karena Doig congratulations from Trust Bank

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Karena Doig, of Levin The youngest female to conquer Cook Strait.' Saturday 18th Feb 1989
Age 15 years 18 days Time: 8hrs 31m
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Once is enough, says marathon swimmer
WELLINGTON, NZPA —Only hours after her Cook Strait crossing, young Horowhenua swimmer Karena Doig vowed never to try again. Doig left the South Island just after midday on Saturday and touched 3 kilo-metres south of Ohau Point at 8.40pm, completing the crossing in an admirable 8 hours 30 minutes.

But the 15-year-old says once is enough. "I wouldn't do Cook Strait again. Maybe a different marathon swim. But not that one again," she said..

Ideal tides and weather meant the crossing was virtually a straight swim from south to north. But Doig said it took much longer than she imagined.

"I thought it was never going to end. It was very, very cold and my arms were really hurting because they were doing most of the work," she said.

"Towards the end one of my arms was quite painful, but I knew I was only about half an hour away so I kept at it."

Despite the discomfort, Doig said she never considered giving up, even after a shark was sighted halfway across. "They didn't tell me they had seen a shark until we were back on land," she said.

"But I knew what was happening. The support boat stopped and they told me to stop swimming and stay very still. It just passed us by. I remember thinking, 'I don't think I can make it the rest of the way with one leg'"

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Date

1989