Meg McLaughlan is no ordinary 17-year-old. The student from St Hilda’s College, is planning to swim the lengths of both Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka over five days in the New Year, to raise money for the Otago Division of the Cancer Society. The total length is about 80km.

“There have been other swimmers in the last year or two who have done similar things,” McLaughlan said. “A friend up in Blenheim did a swim for mental health this time last year. And so, I saw him doing it and thought I wanted to do something similar.”

McLaughlan plans to swim for about five hours each day with a support boat, kayak and for some of the way a support swimmer. She will come home each night, then get up super early to resume the swim.

Her biggest worry is the weather, it getting choppy and her not being able to finish.

McLaughlan has a Give-a-Little page: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/meg-mclaughlan-swim-for-a-cure  and it looking for other sponsors. Put your hand up!

Read edition 1003 of the Wānaka Sun here.

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