US teen Maya Merige braves rough seas and jellyfish stings to swim the Cook Strait

Seventeen-year-old Maya Merhige has completed the Cook Strait swim (22km) in 14h, 8m. This is the fourth swim Maya has completed so far in the Oceans Seven, and her 10th marathon swim to date.

Maya Merhige, a 17-year-old marathon swimmer from California, successfully swam New Zealand’s Cook Strait on 14 March 2025. The Cook Strait is a 22 km (13.6 mile) body of water separating the North and South Islands, and is one of the world’s most challenging open water swims.

This latest achievement for Merhige comes just eight months after she successfully swam the English Channel in July 2024, becoming one of the youngest swimmers in the world to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. The completion of the Cook Strait makes this her 10th marathon swim – all of which have been done to raise funds for cancer research with the nonprofit Swim Across America. Throughout her years of swimming and making waves to fight cancer, Maya has raised an incredible $125,000.

Merhige completed the Cook Strait swim in 14h, 8m. At 17, she joined the ranks of one of the youngest swimmers to successfully conquer this formidable strait.

Accompanying Merhige on this journey and on her support boat was her father Chris Merhige, her official timekeeper, friend and open water coach Kelly Gentry, and her godparents Geoff Tennican and Jen Durning, who have been steadfast supporters of Maya’s and who have donated more than $18,000 to the nonprofit Swim Across America, the beneficiary of Maya’s swims. Their presence on the support boat provided invaluable encouragement throughout the swim and helped keep Maya going by relaying uplighting and inspiring messages from Maya’s family and friends all around the world who were following her progress.

The Cook Strait is known for its rough water and high winds. Situated between the North and South islands of New Zealand, the Cook Strait connects the Tasman Sea with the South Pacific Ocean. Both shores are lined with steep cliffs, which can create a wind tunnel effect. The strong gusts of wind and tidal flows make it one of the roughest and most unpredictable stretches of water in the world. The challenging conditions have attracted numerous swimmers, many of whom have failed to make the crossing and several who have succeeded.

The water in the Cook Strait during Maya’s swim was a bit rough with 15-to-25 knot winds and 1 metre swells, and the water was a chilly 60°F with the air temp only 59°F. According to marathon swimming rules, Maya swims with only a bathing suit, swim cap and goggles. “This was one of the gutsiest swims I’ve ever seen, and was according to some folks on the boat too,” noted Maya’s father Chris Merhige, who was on the support boat traveling alongside Maya during her swim.

“Swimming the Cook Strait was a hard, but incredible experience,” Maya Merhige said. “The jellyfish stings, unpredictable currents and wind presented unique challenges, but knowing that my efforts contribute to cancer research kept me motivated. Having my godparents by my side meant the world to me—they have been some of my strongest supporters, always believing in me and helping to make these swims possible.”

Completing the Cook Strait brings Merhige closer to completing the Ocean’s Seven Swims – the most challenging open water swims in the world. Since 2020, Maya has completed the Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, English Channel and Cook Strait – with still to come the North Channel, Tsugaru Strait and Strait of Gibraltar.

Merhige’s previous accomplishments include becoming the youngest woman to swim the 20-mile Catalina Channel at just 14 years old, completing the 28.5-mile Manhattan 20 Bridges swim at 15, and crossing the English Channel at 16, earning her the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Merhige’s commitment to open water swimming began at age nine when she joined her first Swim Across America – San Francisco open water swim, where she swam with Team Susan Survives! in honour of a family friend and three-time cancer survivor, Susan Helmrich. Since then, she has participated in the annual swim, raising more than $125,000 for pediatric cancer research with Swim Across America – San Francisco’s local beneficiary UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

While raising funds for cancer research and new treatments in support of friends and family members battling cancer has been her inspiration for swimming, writing their names on her swim cap to bring them on the journey with her, Maya has had her own personal health challenges, including discovering a benign pancreatic tumor in 2023 after a ski accident. She has had some ongoing health challenges stemming from the issue and has had her own hospital stays and surgeries, which have only deepened her empathy for cancer patients and strengthened her resolve to support cancer research and help fund new and better treatments.

This autumn Merhige will be starting her freshman year at college, but still hopes to participate in the annual Swim Across America – San Francisco open water swim on 21 September, marking her ninth year swimming in the event. To learn more about Merhige’s amazing swimming accomplishments and to support her fundraising efforts, visit swimacrossamerica.org/maya.