Ice swim challenge.

The water is quickly zero, while outside the temperature is around -30 C, although this can not stop a group of ice swim challenge swimmers with greedy skin, brave enough to dive into its depths.

Known as one of the most interesting activities on Earth, winter swimming has attracted a culture of adventure travelers, without “borders” around the world, eager to dive into the waters of Sibiu. Recently, Russia and Siberia have emerged as world leaders in providing barracks for this extremely strange sport. Siberia is known for its expansive icy beauty and tireless winter climate. For the bravest ice swimmers, Siberia forms a predominant environment to host this extreme competition.

The ice swimming competition was divided into two days and two separate events, which include sprints and continuous challenges. The endurance part was reserved for the toughest of the hard ice swimmers, with only the most adventurous steps to the challenge.

Cut into the frozen lake of Tyumen, two 25-meter pools are carved out of ice to form 2 streets, where the ice swimming competition takes place. Around the ice-carved pool is a one-meter-deep border of frozen wooden planks, with a similarly carved diving board, which becomes covered with ice until the end of the competition, which is part of the Sibiu glacial landscape.

The one meter deep border is the only protection between swimmers who become a well-preserved ice cube, only to be discovered next summer in Sibiu.

As the outside temperature reaches -24C and with a conscious understanding of the severe Siberia wind cooling factor, the competition begins. Fear strikes the eyes of the strongest swimmers with the realization that, after swimming, he will make a 200-meter hike to the sauna.

Competitors traditionally strive to spend more than 10 minutes outside before returning to the sauna for misfortune. This false explosion of endurance sees only the most experienced and adventurous ice swimmers approach the 1 km event. Competitors told participants that all the hair on your body will freeze in the frozen depths of the pool, including the lashes. Underwater breathing is compared to inhaling a spoonful of wasabi and without glasses your eyelids will definitely close.

Even after swimming, competitors need a helping hand to get out of the water. Once they reach the sauna, the swimmers are covered with a thin layer of ice lined on their skin. The healing process begins in the sauna; First the swimmers are dried in the sauna and then covered with wet towels and soaked in cold, warm water. This process is repeated until the nurses rub buckets of snow on the competitors’ skin to return to healthy blood circulation.

This extreme sporting event is only for the strongest; at the end of the event, when you broadcast, there is a unique sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that you were able to endure the coldest temperatures of the ground and tell your story at the end. At the end of the ice swim challenge, regardless of the linguistic separation between local and international competitors, there is an overwhelming sense of camaraderie between all participants. In the bar experience they share, they make deserved cakes, but you will find only the most daring competitors who ask for their drink with some ice cream.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *