A Kiwi athlete is hoping to become the only person in the world with three 'Triple Crowns' for open water swimming.
Wellington woman Grainne Moss, who some viewers may remember as the former boss of Oranga Tamariki, is heading to the US this week where she'll swim more than 80 kilometres.
Moss is the only person in the world to hold the Irish Triple Crown and New Zealand Triple Crown, and is now trying to earn a third - the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
A Triple Crown is a marathon swimming challenge of three major routes - often in the same country.
The Irish Crown included 35km from Ireland to Scotland, 21km from Fastnet Lighthouse to Baltimore, and 10.5km in Galway Bay.
In New Zealand she had to swim the Foveaux Strait, the Cook Strait and Lake Taupō.
"The training is really important and the physical side is really important, but the mental side is really important too - keeping yourself mentally positive," Moss told Newshub.
The 53-year-old mother was the first Irish woman to ever swim the English Channel, and she did so as a 17-year-old.
"I was very fortunate. I grew up by the sea and I just loved it. There are wonderful health benefits and it's a lot of fun."
Having lived in New Zealand since the 1990s she's now preparing to tackle the 32.2km Catalina Channel in California next week, and swim 48.5km around Manhattan Island - to earn her third Triple Crown.
"I'm expecting that Catalina might take around 12 hours, and Manhattan might be a little quicker because apparently, you get quite a good push down the Hudson," she said.
Both swims will be done during the night, because it's so hard to secure a time slot with marine officials.
"Apparently Manhattan Island at night under all the bridges with the twinkling lights apparently is an incredibly special swim."
Open water swimming isn't without its dangers, as she was reminded just eight weeks ago when swimming the 'Channel of Bones' in Hawaii.
"I got bitten by two box jellyfish in Hawaii and a couple of Portuguese men of war," she said.
"They were absolutely excruciating. I've never had anything like it in my life and actually, I could feel the poison kind of pumping around my body. I could feel a little tiny bit of swelling in my tongue.
"Actually, I was in tears. I mean, I was railing against, you know, the jellyfish gods. And yeah, then I had to dig really deep to keep going."
Moss is raising money for the charity Kenzies Gift, which supports young people that've suffered serious loss or grief.
"Actually, it's a charity that's just very close to my heart," she told Newshub.
And her training is in good hands, coached by Philip Rush who holds three world records for open-water swimming.
The pair met in 1987 when they both swam the English Channel, then when Moss moved to New Zealand he started coaching her.
"I've been involved in swimming ever since with coaching during the week and also together we support others with their swims."
Rush said she had what it takes to get this third Triple Crown.
"She's pretty bloody stubborn and she's done the work, she's prepared herself well for these swims."
There are strict rules for open water swimmers - they can't wear wetsuits and once in the water they can't touch the boat, so food and water is thrown by rope in containers.
Moss said her parents are a huge part of her support crew.
"My mum has been making me leek and potato soup since about 1985 and that goes on every swim."
Although they won't be on this trip, instead Moss is taking her husband and children who will be cheering her on through the more than 80km of ocean swimming.
