Winter swimming

Ice bathing or winter swimming is swimming in open water at water temperatures of up to near 0 ° C. The term winter swimming is more precise than ice bathing, as this sport usefully begun in the fall and throughout the winter months is continued until the spring, so it is to bring only partially with ice in conjunction. The name Ice bathing is but common. The ice swimming in the strict sense implies that the participants a large enough hole in the ice of the water chop, then rose, for example, on ladders or a jetty in the water.

Ice swimming and winter swimming is different from swimming especially in that here comes to the activity of swimming. Winter swimmers often use channels or rivers that do not freeze in winter so fast. When winter swimming they often wear neoprene suits, not to strong auszukühlen. There are popular winter swimming events, such as the Danube River Swim in Neuburg, where thousands of athletes participate.

• 4.1 World Championships
• 4.2 Competition mode of Eisschwimm World Championships
• 4.3 Extreme ice swimming

History

Winter bathing or swimming is operated as a popular sport in many countries with naturally satisfied bodies of water for centuries. - Already by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is known that he has hacked the ice of the river Ilm, to bathe in cold water.

In the GDR were admitted from about 1970 clubs and organizations offering relevant events organized as the seal cup competition organized by the youth magazine Drum. Also was and is (old and new) this winter sport maintained in the Federal Republic, partly individually and partly in clubs. In 2003, it was reported by around 1000 German Eisbadern from clubs. The sports communities that exist throughout the world for the winter or Bader - swimmer, to seals, penguins, icicles, Bernauer Eisheilige, Merchweiler sea lions or similar name and occur most media attention on.

Health benefits

In practice, the terms winter swimming, ice swimming and winter swimming are (sometimes ice swimming ) are often used interchangeably. The commonality is that a strengthening of the immune system brought about by the cold stimulus.

Just like other athletes, such as sprinters or weightlifters who have trained their organism to implement in a few seconds a lot of energy in motion, so the organism of the winter Bader is trained, its energy reserves reflexively react at current cold stimulus in body heat, so that a hypothermia did not even occur. The winter Bader remains only a few minutes in cold water, so that it then uses to good radiating out heat. The associated with the winter Baden effect of Resilience promotes health. Brenke and Siems write to The Book of the winter swimming, winter swimming, although that is never scared are not immune, " ... falling ill with influenza infections, but they run much easier and shorter. "

Eisbaden referred for therapeutic use as cryotherapy should also proactively help athletes against muscle soreness. There is evidence that it helps reduce anxiety and panic attacks and eventually may also provide for a better sleep.

Untrained people can not be recommended to go up the middle of winter in the cold water. In preparation should (several times if possible ) are bathed outdoors this summer and weekly. Even regular cold showers is very suitable for training.

In general, it is not recommended, the head ( and thus the hair ) into hiding. Since the hands and feet rapidly cooling, the hands should be held while bathing in the air and thin protective shoes are worn on the feet. If bathing suits were used, is to avoid hypothermia after bathing necessarily.

Winter swimming as a sport for the masses

Events in Germany (selection)

• Spree swimming, which took place at the boat slip Zenner in Berlin in February 2000 for the first time; at 3 degrees water temperature had 300 m to the Isle of Youth and swam back.

• Since 1985 takes place at Berliner Orankesee regularly in January of icy fun instead. Courageous from many German Eisschwimm clubs and health-conscious from other countries are taking part, for example, came in January 2003 120 participants and 500 spectators! The event has the character of a Eisfaschings and a motto, eg 2003 Neptune and his entourage.

• 2006, addressed the sponsor Jägermeister a wild bathing day in a Berlin swimming pool from: on a 25 m lane was to complete a freestyle relay. Besides these swimming competitions were for the 1,000 spectators to see all manner of funny nonsense.

• On Helensee the first Eisbadeveranstaltung the region took place in January 2006.

• In the same a New Year's swim took place on 7 January 2007 organized by Eisbader from Radebeul, instead.

Events in other countries ( selection)

• From the UK it was reported that there since about 1940 are near London a ladies club in the year-round swimmers, the oldest Active in 2004 was 82 years old.

• In the Czech Republic Moldova is swimming since the 1950s, every year on the 2nd Christmas Day organized, provided that at least 100 m will be swum. The event will be conducted as a Memorial Swim in honor of the Czech athlete Alfred Nikodém.

• In Russia, ice swimming is widespread due to the most suitable weather conditions.

• A German student reported from Beijing that there is a traditional ice swimming annually on 1 January in China.

• In Canada and the U.S., there are also a variety of winter swimming events for everyone.

Ice swimming as a sport and as an extreme sport

World Championships

Since the winter of 1999/2000 is also available in the sport World Championships ( Winter Swimming World Championships ), which first took place in Jyväskylä, Finland. At air temperatures of minus 10 ° C, a swimming pool of 25 m length and 12 m width was from a frozen lake sawn out of the 40 cm thick ice. The following winter was at the same place already with 700 participants, most of whom came from Finland and Russia, the second World Cup performed. In 2003, already 13 countries took part in these international competitions.

For official competitions, participants must swim suits ( pants or suit from non- transparent material ) and can wear hats and goggles. A heat -retaining skin care products is not allowed.

Other world championships were held in 2006 ( Oulu ), 2008 ( in London) and 2010 instead ( in Bled, Slovenia ). The participants of 2006 came from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Thus, besides the 25m individual routes and a team performance for everyone has been introduced (per team were allowed 3-20 swimmers, no one was allowed more than 5 minutes in the water to be). Children competitions and several fun swimming as well as a torch swimming team were advertised. The winner of the single swimming waved a cash prize of 1,000 euros; All participants received a medal.

The eighth World Cup was from 20 to 22, 2012 in Jurmala, Latvia, discharged. The disciplines and rules consistent with those of previous events.

The next World Cup was awarded in Jurmala for 2014 to the Finnish town of Rovaniemi, the capital city located on the Arctic Circle in Lapland.

Competition mode of Eisschwimm World Championships

For the competitions no official disciplines are distinguished; the distance to be traveled routes are defined in the host cities and are of different lengths; it counts the time achieved. Comparisons in the swimming styles of freestyle and breast have been certainly been carried out. Has proved now a route length of 25 m. Started is standing on a ladder, the shoulders must be already in the water. The participants will be divided by age group and gender. In 2010, comparisons were made in the disciplines breaststroke 50 m, 25 m freestyle and freestyle 50 m.

Extreme ice swimming

Swimming in ice cold water is also operated as an extreme sport. Thereby be covered floating at temperatures near the freezing point distances of more than one kilometer. Known Eisschwimmer are Lynne Cox and Lewis Pugh. It is also noted a Eisschwimm record, the Canadian Pugh has placed with a distance of 1.2 kilometers in 23 minutes in a Norwegian lake. The lake is fed by the glacier Glaciers Nigards.