Phil Carter, Victoria, Australia
winner of the Big Swim competition – 2nd prize

Thanks to all those supporting John and Children’s Autism Foundation, and in particular thanks to all those who entered the competition.

We are happy to announce the winners of our competition

FIRST PRIZE

Our first prize winner is Steve Rodgers, his guess was 6 hours 11 minutes and 30 seconds!

Flying Air New Zealand to Fiji and stay at the Mana Island resort Fiji. Does not include any ground transportation, transfers or food.

SECOND PRIZE

Our second prize winner is Phil Carter, his guess was 6 hours 15 minutes and 30 seconds.

Click on the link below to see the broadcast

Inspirational swimming venture

Everything needs to go! Saturday 24 March 2012 between 10am and 2pm.
70 Khyber pass road
Grafton

CAF Toy sale

John's big swim

John Shackleton motivational speaker, author and babyboomer 57 years old. John is on the Beat Goes On to tell us about swimming Cook Strait at the end of March 2012. Best of luck John.

Don’t forget to enter our competition, guess how long John will be in the water for and be in to win a 5 night holiday for 2 to Fiji!
Bigswim

SKILLS TRHOUGH PLAY
This is a programme for families with children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old. There are 2 sessions this month: one in Green Bay and one in Manurewa.
The sessions focus on:
• Understanding child development
• Types of play and the importance of play
• How to engage your child in play
• What toys and resources to use

WHERE: Green Bay Community Centre (please click here for location map)
WHEN: Tuesday 13th March – 9.30am to 11.30am
REGISTER: elisa@autism.org.nz
WHERE: Te Whare Awhina, Manurewa (please click here for location map)
WHEN: Wednesday 14th March – 9.30am to 11.30am
REGISTER: elisa@autism.org.nz

PARENTS EXCHANGE – TRANSITIONING TO WORK
Following the Transitioning to Work workshop presented by Anna Tullemans at the end of last year, we have invited a team of speakers with different background to support you further in this sometimes difficult transition period:
• Vaughan Dodd –Work & Income – presentation of Work & Income services available for young people with a disability
• Richard Vernall – Lifeworks4me – how to help young people discover their talent, how to transition passion or skill into useful employment
• Caroline Campbell – Drake International – practical tips for looking for a job (presentation skills, interview skills, CV writing)…

This workshop is aimed at young people with high functioning autism/Aspergers syndrome and their family. The date is confirmed!
WHERE: our office at 70 Khyber Pass Rd, Grafton
WHEN: Thursday 8th March (7pm to 9pm)
REGISTER: events@autism.org.nz

RESPITE WEEKEND
Elisa Slaat will be speaking at the respite weekend organised by ASD Kids. This is a great weekend of information and relaxation. Please see flyer attached for further information and registration details.

BIG SWIM COMPETITION -Win 5 nights for 2 in Fiji!
John Shackleton will swim the Cook Strait in March, but what will his time be? Support John and the Children’s Autism Foundation by entering our competition. Click here for more info

Auckland
February 3, 2012

Two “old buggers” are today (subs: Friday, 3 February 2012) calmly swimming for six hours back and forth from Takapuna Beach to a buoy. The harbour is easy open water training for Aucklanders John Shackleton, 57, and Alastair Hulbert, 42, who next month tackle one of the toughest challenges on the planet – Cook Strait.

British-born Shackleton says the swim marathon is his toughest physical and mental challenge – despite studying sports psychology, coaching Olympic athletes, holding British and New Zealand masters records for sprint events in pools, and being a top international motivational speaker and author. But age is not a problem, and he doesn’t believe in luck.

“While more than 3000 people have climbed Mt Everest, about 1000 have swum the English Channel, and over 500 have been into space, only 80 have successfully conquered Cook Strait without a wetsuit.”
The cold, unforgiving stretch of water separating the North and South Islands is described by Wikipedia as “some of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world”.
Swimming its 26km “is going to take seven or eight hours on your own in a large amount of very cold water”.
“Water temperature can drop to 13 degrees Celsius, so you have to swim fast enough to not get cold, and slow enough to not get exhausted. And one in six attempts has a shark visit.”
The tidal window for the swim is March 27 to April 3, with weather being the decider. “We could be as fit as we want, and we’re up there now, but weather on the day will determine whether we step into the water.”
It will also determine whether they swim North to South Island or vice versa.
“You actually swim east to west – the two islands are side by side.”

It’s been a “massive commitment” for Shackleton, swimming up to 50km a week with the aim to conquer Cook Strait as the oldest swimmer. Then two weeks ago 60-year-old US swimmer Tom Hecker snatched it in 10 hours 36 minutes.
“It was a bit upsetting because I wanted the record, but it’s about personal growth not holding a record, and achieving way, way outside my comfort zone.
“I’m a motivational speaker. My entire job is standing on stage telling people how to turn failure into success. It’s a good example of me swallowing my own medicine.”

Turners and Growers and Jones Lang LaSalle are sponsoring support for the swim which costs $8000 for a launch and inflatable rescue boats. The swimmers will stop every half hour for 30 seconds to drink and eat while not touching anyone or anything. Shackleton is partial to honey sandwiches – it takes away the taste of salt – and Happy Valley Honey has come on board with honey and bee pollen granules which he says have increased his energy levels.

In conjunction with the swim, Shackleton is running a competition with all proceeds going to the Autism Foundation. His six-year-old has a mild form of autism; “he writes the most amazing poetry but can’t clean his teeth”.
Visit www.bigswim.co.nz and pay $10 to guess the time Shackleton will take to swim Cook Strait. The winner will enjoy two return flights to Fiji and five nights’ accommodation at Mana Island Resort, sponsored by Air New Zealand. The runner up receives a phone from Noel Leeming. Shackleton’s blog is straittalking.blogspot.com.

John Shackleton: 021 366 669 / john@johnshack.com

Sue Pairaudeau
Online editor
Media PA

07 8252883
021 030 1851
sue.pairaudeau@gmail.com

Please join us on Waitangi day (Monday 6th of Feb) at the Manukau Live steamers.

We will be there between 11am and 3pm with a stand, information on John Shackleton’s Big Swim across the Cook Strait at the end of March.

Enter the competition and guess how long John will be in the water for and be in to win a 5 day trip to Fiji for 2!

By entering the competition you’ll be supporting us.
Read more on our big swim page

Click here for directions to the manukau live steamers.

To read how John prepares himself for his ultimate challenge, visit his BIG SWIM website