Steve Russek didn’t just talk the talk, he’s swimming the swim.
Last year, the president of Thames’ Coastguard unit remarked that if a fellow volunteer could complete The Big Swim, he’d do it too.
Now he’s making good on that promise, leading by example and clocking up the kilometres for a good cause.
The Big Swim is a nationwide fundraising initiative taking place throughout June, in support of Coastguard New Zealand.
Participants nominate the distance they think they can swim in the month and gain donations. The funds raised will be used to help train and equip Coastguard’s 2000-plus volunteers as well as fuelling and maintaining its rescue vessels.
Steve, who has been utilising the free use of the Thames Centennial Pool, set himself the challenge of swimming 10km in June, and has already raised more than $1400 of his $1500 goal. As at June 16, he had very nearly completed what he set out to do, with 9.3km swam in total.
The task, Steve said, was going “surprisingly well”.
“[It] started slow with a few practices in May… it soon got from 500m in the first practice to around 1100m-1300m per go.
“I can’t swim every day due to other commitments and life in general, but I try to do at least three swims per week around 5pm-6pm at Thames Centennial Pool.”
Steve said he grew up around the water – swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing – but was never a trained swimmer or had practised in pool swimming.
It wasn’t until a fellow Coastguard volunteer took part in The Big Swim in 2024 that he “foolishly” said: ‘If he can do it, I will do it next year’.
“And here we are. So, yeah, he motivated me, and as I’m the president of the Thames unit, I was trying to lead by example.”
Steve has been involved with the Thames Coastguard unit for more than 25 years and is one of three local skippers. The unit averages around 50-65 callouts per year and covers the entire Firth of Thames and Lower Hauraki Gulf, up to the top of the peninsula, across to Kaiaua, and up to Waiheke.
This year, he’s being joined in The Big Swim by new Thames Coastguard volunteer Paul Studer – who has also pledged to swim 10km throughout June.
“This nationwide campaign has become very popular, with volunteers and public outside the organisation also participating,” Steve said. “There are 2500 participants and they’ve surpassed $480k in donations – so they are likely to exceed $1m for the month. It is a great cause as the Coastguard runs on volunteers and donations. It is only partially Government funded,” he said.
“All the volunteers give a huge amount of their time and effort. Doesn’t matter whether it’s actual time on water doing rescues, or training, maintenance, first aid, fundraising, or admin – it’s all important.”
DETAILS: For more details or to fundraise to Steve’s Big Swim, visit: bigswim.org.nz/s-russek
BY KELLEY TANTAU
