And after swimming the length of Lake Wānaka yesterday, the 24-year-old hoped the marathon effort would inspire the next generation of swimmers to take on their own challenges.
Ms Schmid started the swim in Makarora about 6.40am and finished about 44km away near the lakefront wharf in Roy’s Bay in an unofficial time of 13 hours and 11 minutes.
The swim was unassisted except for a wetsuit, which meant she was not able to hold on to a boat or anything along the way.
In the process, she raised more than $13,600 for water protection and conservation organisation Wai Wānaka and the Wānaka Swim Club.
Originally from Northern Virginia in the United States, Ms Schmid moved to Wānaka two years ago where she began
coaching children at the Wānaka Swim Club, rekindling her love of the sport and of open water swimming.
On her Givealittle page, she said, "I hope this journey shows them (young people) that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible".
