ZB ZB
Opinion
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

'Cold water, jellyfish and long sessions': Jono Ridler completes record breaking swim against bottom trawling

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 6 Apr 2026, 10:36am
Jono Ridler. Photo / Joahua McCormack
Jono Ridler. Photo / Joahua McCormack

'Cold water, jellyfish and long sessions': Jono Ridler completes record breaking swim against bottom trawling

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 6 Apr 2026, 10:36am

Endurance swimmer Jono Ridler has completed a 1367km journey, swimming the length of the North Island, in an effort to raise awareness against bottom trawling. 

After getting out of the water on Saturday, Ridler led a convoy of people to the steps of Parliament, where multiple ministers waited, and he was presented with a taonga.

Ridler spoke to Andrew Dickens about the difficult journey, "a good percentage of the time it was very tough," he said. 

"The further we got south, the tougher it got as well with the cold water, jellyfish, and, and long sessions, spending a lot of time in my own head trying to battle through all of that."

LISTEN ABOVE 

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you