Barrie Devenport

John William Barrie Devenport (7 October 1935 – 25 July 2010, often mistakenly reported as "Barrie Davenport") was a New Zealand swimmer and lifesaver who was the first person in modern history to swim Cook Strait.[1]

Devenport was born in Wellington on 7 October 1935.[2] On 20 November 1962, at the age of 27, he swam from Cape Terawhiti in the North Island to Wellington Rock in the South Island in 11 hours, 13 minutes.[3] He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.[4]

He died in 2010 on the Gold Coast, Australia, after an 18-month battle with cancer.[4]

References

  1. ↑ New Zealand Press Association (26 July 2010). "First man to swim Cook Strait dies". Stuff.co.nz (Fairfax New Zealand). Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  2. ↑ "Births". Evening Post. 8 October 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Barrie Devenport". New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 Geenty, Mark (27 July 2010). "Devenport's swim stopped a nation". Dominion Post. Retrieved 23 August 2014.


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