SwimScape - the podcast
Welcome to SwimScape - THE PODCAST — where New Zealand’s open water comes to life. Join Duncan and Jim as they dive into the stories behind the swims, the swimmers, and the adventures that make our waters special. From everyday ocean lovers to record-setting legends, we chat with the people who inspire us to explore further, swim longer, and enjoy every stroke. Whether you’re training for your next event or just love the sea, this is your place to connect with the world of open water swimming.
Episodes
Welcome back to the SwimScape Podcast, where we dive deep into the stories behind New Zealand’s most inspiring open water swimmers, adventurers, and endurance athletes.
Today’s guest is someone who perfectly embodies what this podcast is all about -grit, curiosity, humility, and an incredible love of the water. Jemimah Mcilroy is a Dunedin-based marathon swimmer and university student who has already achi...
Today on SwimScape The Podcast, we’re joined by one of the most impressive young endurance swimmers in New Zealand — Quinn Boyle from Tauranga.
Despite being early in his swimming journey compared with many marathon swimmers, Quinn has already built a résumé that most open water athletes would envy. He’s completed an Ice Mile, represented New Zealand at the Ice Swimming World Championships, conquere...
Today on SwimScape we are heading to Rotorua to meet a swimmer whose journey is a perfect reminder that sometimes the biggest adventures start by reconnecting with something you loved as a kid. Glyn Eason grew up with swimming in his blood. As a young swimmer, he competed seriously and developed the discipline, resilience, and love for the water that only comes from years spent chasing the black line.
But like ...
Scott Rice is a former New Zealand representative swimmer who represented New Zealand at the 1995 World University Games and the 1999 Pan Pacific Championships, before going on to found the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series, Ocean Swim Fiji, and the Manu World Champs.
But Scott is much more than an event organiser. He's a familiar voice on the microphone as one of New Zealand's leading swimming commentators, a pass...
Welcome to the SwimScape Podcast — where we dive into the stories of open water swimmers pushing the boundaries of endurance, mindset, and adventure.
In this episode, we’re joined by Kiwi-born, Canada-based ultra swimmer Charlotte Brynn — a woman whose journey through cold water and long distances is defined by persistence, humility, and an ever-present smile.
She’s failed, she&rsqu...
Today’s guest is an extraordinary woman whose story is one of resilience, purpose, and finding strength through the ocean swimming and the swim community. Kenzie's Gift was founded by Nic following the loss of her three-year-old daughter, Kenzie. Rather than allowing tragedy to define her, Nic has dedicated herself to supporting families facing childhood trauma and serious illness through the charity’s i...
Today’s guest is someone who perfectly represents what’s possible when you back yourself and just start.
Kylie Frost is the driving force behind the Twisted Sisters Club here in Auckland offering coaching for swimming, biking and running. What makes Kylie’s story so relatable — and so inspiring — is that she didn’t come from a lifelong elite sporting background. She started later t...
Today on the podcast, we’re joined by one of the key figures in New Zealand’s open water swimming scene — Euan Acket. A former elite pool swimmer and triathlete, Euan is now best known as the race director of the iconic 5 Bridges River Swim in Hamilton. These days he balances life as a husband, a dad to three kids, and a passionate advocate for river swimming and community-driven events. We talk ab...
Born in Ireland, Gráinne Moss discovered her love for open water early, completing the English Channel swim in 1987. Now based in New Zealand, she’s a mother of four, a respected CEO, and an endurance swimmer on a mission to swim in as many of the world’s oceans as she can.
Gráinne is the only swimmer known to have had a shark encounter while crossing the Cook Strait, a story she tells with trademark humo...
This episode of Clever Dicks dives into the story of a man whose journey has taken him from the dance floors of Russia to the deep, cold waters of New Zealand.
Ivan Polyntcev is one of those rare people who embodies both grace and grit, always with a smiling face. A former dancer in Russia in his youth, he made the bold move to New Zealand and found a whole new rhythm — in the ocean. Since then, he’s beco...
Today's special guest is Stacey Balich - an open-water and ice swimmer from New Zealand, a passionate educator and volunteer who swims everything from coastal crossings to sub-5°C lake swims. Stacey joins us to talk about the physical side of endurance swimming — the training, the breath, the cold — and the quieter, deeper benefits it brings to the mind including resilience, focus and calm.
She also...
This week we sit down with Auckland swimmer Dean Madsen — a man who knows what it means to push limits in and out of the water. Dean’s journey started in the world of triathlon and Ironman, where endurance and grit became part of his DNA. These days his focus is on two of New Zealand’s greatest open water challenges: the 40km Lake Taupō crossing and the legendary Cook Strait swim.
But Dean&rsq...
This chat is about a remarkable Kiwi story of grit, brains, and a touch of madness. We welcome back Brian Gray – a Kiwi Master Swimmer with a heart as big as the Waikato River itself. Brian recently swam an astonishing 150 km's down that very river, the one he grew up beside, in honour of his dad.
It took him 24 hours straight – no sleep, battling the tide, and pushing through every obstacle nature ...
Today on the show we’re joined by an incredible duo – Stephen Moore and his wonderful wife Jo. Stephen, at 62, is still one of the fastest men in the water, but his story goes far beyond speed. He grew up learning to swim in the very same pool as Jo back in England – a connection that has lasted a lifetime. From ice swimming at the world championships, to weekend training sessions with the legendar...
In today’s episode, we’re heading to the icy waters of Saint Bathans, where a remarkable group of swimmers braved temperatures of less than five degrees Celsius. Under the guidance of Ice Swimming President Roger Soulsby, these athletes pushed the very limits of physical endurance in one of the most breathtaking – and brutal – environments in New Zealand.
But this challenge wasn’t faced ...
Today we’re joined by a man whose story will make you laugh, make you think, and maybe even make you tear up a little. He’s a Kiwi swimmer, a fighter, a smiler, and a guy who’s learning how to navigate life with a whole lot of heart – and with multiple sclerosis tagging along for the ride.
Duncan Grant has spent years in and around the water, but these days, the real challenge isn’t the ...
He’s one of New Zealand’s most loved, straight-talking comedians, a mental health advocate, and the force behind I AM HOPE – the movement that’s changing the way Kiwis think about mental health. He’s been on stages around the world, behind the mic, in schools, in parliament – and now, he’s with us… a sort of honorary Clever Dick.
Today, we’re sitting down w...
Hey legends, welcome back to The Clever Dicks Open Water Podcast — where we dive deep into the minds of swimmers, coaches, and salty sea legends from around the world.
Today, we’ve got an absolute ripper of a guest. She’s fast, she’s fierce, and she knows her stuff — it’s the amazing Merle Maud! Merle’s not just your average lane cruiser — she’s a certified Swim S...
Shannon House Keegan is an American marathon swimmer whose open water accomplishments stretch across many different bodies of water. From the mighty SCAR Challenge, to Lake Memphremagog to Lake George, Shannon has swum through some iconic and challenging waters. And when she’s not swimming, she’s talking – as the host of Intrepid Waters, a podcast where she explores the mental, physical, and e...
In this episode we dive into the life of Peter Gibbs—a spirited adventurer from Nelson, New Zealand. Peter's journey from triathlon to the open waters of Abel Tasman National Park showcases his enduring passion for endurance sports. As a seasoned writer, he shares tales of his aquatic escapades and the vibrant community that surrounds them. Join us as we explore Peter's stories of resilience, camaraderie, and ...
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