Swimming for a Cause: Livi’s 44km Challenge Across Lake Wānaka

By Georgie Hughes (WAI Volunteer).

We are now well and truly into 2025 and many of us will be trying to make those New Year’s resolutions into a reality. If your resolution is to give back more this year then you might find some inspiration from our latest fundraiser Livi Schmid. Livi will swim 44km across Lake Wānaka (the whole length of the lake!) this February while raising money for organisations, including WAI, along the way.

Originally from the US, Livi has been living in Wānaka for nearly two years and has been swimming her whole life. Part of her drive to complete this swim is to help WAI in its efforts to protect local freshwater systems from pollution and contamination. Livi said that when she first arrived in Wānaka she found it ‘quite refreshing’ after swimming in what smelled like sewage off the Los Angeles coast. Even being able to see the bottom of the lake was a new experience after swimming in murky lakes most of my life.’

Livi is eager to give back to the lake and be a part of preserving it for future generations. ‘I know that it’s worth doing all we can to protect it,’ she said. ‘It doesn’t take a lot to make a substantial difference. It would be heartbreaking to lose this pristine underwater world.’

We had a chat with Livi to hear more about her marathon swim, how she is preparing for it and to find out what caused her to take on this crazy venture.

GEORGIE: Hey Livi! It’s so amazing what you’re planning to do and we’re so glad you decided to raise money for WAI! What prompted you to take on this challenge? 

LIVI: I have been swimming my whole life, competitively in a pool, and still had never really heard about the world of marathon swimming. When I started coaching for the Wānaka Swim Club, I was introduced to Belinda Donaldson and Cameron Stanley, both ex-marathon swimmers. Belinda shared with me her epic adventures from swimming the Cook Strait, English Channel and Foveaux Strait and I thought that since I spent my whole life in the water, I might be able to accomplish something similar in my lifetime. My other drive was that I have a limited amount of time left in New Zealand and I wanted to find a way to give back to the Wānaka community. This place, these people and this lake mean the world to me and if I can raise some awareness to protect and preserve, and raise some funds for a few incredible organisations, I would love to do so.

GEORGIE: How has training been going?

LIVI: Training has been a lot of fun. Each week brings a new challenge. After my first long open water swim from Glendhu Bay to Waterfall Creek my shoulder flared up in pain due to a previous long-term injury. That was about a month ago now and it took a team of physios, restructuring my stroke and breathing technique, and heaps of exercises but I can say that I’m confidently pain free now. I knew there would be obstacles along the way and that was my first one. My physio Thomas Heaton has played a huge role in my journey. Training for a swim of this calibre takes a village and I am so insanely lucky to have the Wanaka community’s support. Coaches, boat drivers, swimmers, have all played a part in making this experience a lot of fun.

GEORGIE: How are you feeling mentally about the swim, are you nervous at all? 

LIVI: Yes, of course I am. But there’s a lot of scary things in life. Moving to New Zealand by myself was terrifying and it ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. I am afraid of failing, of the pain that it will bring, that my body won’t respond well, but I want to swim the lake way more than I am scared of any of those things. I know it will be one of the best days of my life, regardless of the outcome.

GEORGIE: Why did you decide to raise money for WAI? 

LIVI: I chose to raise money for WAI because of who they are and what they do for our Lake. I am constantly inspired by their activism and work with farmers, schools, councils, and local groups to tackle biodiversity loss, improving water quality and fostering sustainable practices to help our community and lake. When I was deciding which organizations to raise funds for it seemed like a no brainer to choose such an all-encompassing organisation. I hope that the funds I raise can make an impact in their drive for more research on our deep water lake and help protect it for future generations.

Livi will be raising money for WAI Wānaka and the Wānaka Swim Club where she has been coaching young swimmers. You can find her Givealittle page here and follow her journey on Instagram @liv.toswim. Good luck Livi, we are all rooting for you!