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Artwork for Swim Chats

Swim Chats

Shona Riddell
Swimming
Ocean Swimming
New Zealand
Wellington
Sharks
Cook Strait
Open Water Swimming
English Channel
Marine Biology
Outdoor Swimming
Marine Conservation
Conservation
Marathon Swimming
Cold Water Swimming
Swimming Safety
Sir Bernard Freyberg
Shark Attacks
Shark Species
Jellyfish
The Big Swim

Every swimmer has a story to tell. Writer and swimmer Shona Riddell chats to marathon swimmers, dippers, coaches, ocean experts, and more. Whether you’re a swimmer yourself, or just interested in stories about the sea and people expanding their comfort zones, you'll enjoy these swim chats. Please hit the 'Follow' button so you don’t miss an episode, leave a star rating, and share with friends. Enj... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes55Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SwimmingSports

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Artwork for Swim Chats

Latest Episodes

What: Ignite Freshwater Swim Fest

Where: Lake Pupuke / Pupukemoana, Auckland

When: February 13–14, 2027

Scott Rice is back on Swim Chats this month to talk about a brand-new swim event coming next summer: the Ignite Freshwater Swim Fest! It will b... more

YouTube

When Wellington’s school pools began disappearing, Steve Hind decided to do something about it. The result was the Aquadome⁠ a thriving community swimming facility that opened in 2018.

In 2009, Steve noticed a decline in the number of school pools i... more

YouTube

SwimRun events involve a consecutive series of swims and runs, with no stops or gear changes. You can be tethered to another person, or do it solo. The swims are open water and the runs are on trails, across islands or around bays and headlands.

Re... more

YouTube

Congratulations to Gráinne on her Oceans Seven!!!!

Gráinne Moss is an ultramarathon swimmer from Wellington, New Zealand who recently completed the Oceans Seven, a series of gruelling swims around the globe. It's been a 39-year odyssey for Gráinne, ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Steve Hind
Chair of the Wellington Swim Trust, advocate for community pools
Wellington Swim Trust
Episode: How to save a swimming pool: the Aquadome story
Gráinne Moss
Ultra marathon swimmer from Wellington, New Zealand; first Irish woman to complete the Ocean Seven
Independent open-water swimmer
Episode: Gráinne Moss on her 39-year swim journey through the Oceans Seven
Tracey Baumann
Head coach and founder of Swim Mastery
Swim Mastery
Episode: Swim smarter, not harder with SwimMastery coach Tracey Baumann
Timon Wilkinson
Swim coach and gym owner
Bonobos Swim Squads / Bonobos Gym
Episode: Squad coach and gym owner Timon Wilkinson on making lessons fun for kids and adults
James Bell
Professor of Marine Ecology at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Episode: Diving into the world of sea sponges with Professor James Bell
Corrina Connor
Adventurer swimmer; long-distance and open-water swimmer
Independent swimmer
Episode: Corrina Connor on swimming NZ's Triple Crown, extreme ice miles, and having fun in inhospitable conditions
Sinéad Kehoe
Returning guest, poet and swimmer
Episode: Swimming and sea poems with special guest Sinéad Kehoe
Zoe Studd
Co-founder and executive director Mountains to Sea Wellington
Mountains to Sea Wellington
Episode: Mountains to Sea Wellington’s Zoe Studd on the joys, challenges and possibilities of connecting people with the water
Nicola McCloy
Author of Jump In: An Insider's Guide to New Zealand's Best Beaches, Lakes, Rivers, Pools and Hot Springs
Independent author and swimmer
Episode: ‘Jump In’ author Nicola McCloy on NZ’s best swimming spots – and how she found them

Host

Shona Riddell
Host of Swim Chats; writer and swimmer from Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 32 ratings
  • Great podcast

    This is a great new initiative- awesome interviews.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    picton34
    New Zealanda year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners find the interviews engaging and informative.
The show covers a broad mix of open-water swimming topics and community stories.
Strong sense of New Zealand swimming culture and conservation themes resonates with audiences.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Introducing NZ's new freshwater swim festival
Q: What makes this event successful beyond participant numbers?
Success means people walk away feeling happy they chose to attend, with a smooth first impression from the website to the finish line, good safety instruction, and a positive overall event experience that encourages them to return.
Introducing NZ's new freshwater swim festival
Q: Will you have time cutoffs for longer distances like the 25K?
Yes, there are relaxed cutoffs to ensure safety and practicality, with leaders helping swimmers approach the finish if needed, and in most cases everyone finishes before the cutoff.
How to save a swimming pool: the Aquadome story
Q: Wow. And how did you raise the funds to cover the costs?
The host explains that funding came from a mix of traditional agencies, with initial seed funding from the council, supplemented by several smaller contributions from various organizations, and then several fundraising efforts and stunts, including securing some grants and a notable, unusual contribution of UHT milk that was monetized to raise funds before additional donors stepped in.
Swim smarter, not harder with SwimMastery coach Tracey Baumann
Q: What are the core breathing tips to manage stress while swimming?
Breathing should be controlled and diaphragmatic, with emphasis on exhaling to maintain buoyancy and posture, and using nose breathing to calm the system before and during laps.
Swim smarter, not harder with SwimMastery coach Tracey Baumann
Q: How can someone swim faster without stressing the body or losing technique?
The answer is to stop trying to accelerate blindly; focus on turning the body into a connected, streamlined vessel and allow speed to emerge as a byproduct of improved technique and body connection.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Swim Chats

What is Swim Chats about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on open-water swimming, endurance challenges, coaching, and marine conservation, blending practical training insights with human-interest stories and community-focused discussions. Episodes range from coaching methods and event organization to extreme swims, environmental issues, and even poetry and literature inspired by the sea. A standout thread is the strong sense of place in New Zealand and the emphasis on community, inclusivity, and making water activities accessible and enjoyable for a broad audience. Listeners likely gain actionable tips on training, safety, and preparation, alongside inspiring tales of perseverance and sea-connected passions.

Where can I find podcast stats for Swim Chats?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Swim Chats. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Swim Chats and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Swim Chats get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Swim Chats, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Swim Chats?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Swim Chats, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Swim Chats have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Swim Chats has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Swim Chats?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Swim Chats:

1. The Effortless Swimming Podcast
2. The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming
3. The Dom Harvey Podcast
4. UNTAPPED with Spencer Matthews
5. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

How many episodes of Swim Chats are there?

Swim Chats launched 2 years ago and published 55 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Swim Chats?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Swim Chats?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Swim Chats from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Swim Chats?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Swim Chats. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Swim Chats?

Recent guests on Swim Chats include:

1. Steve Hind
2. Gráinne Moss
3. Tracey Baumann
4. Timon Wilkinson
5. James Bell
6. Corrina Connor
7. Sinéad Kehoe
8. Zoe Studd

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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