Celebrating International Women’s Day 2022

International Women’s Day is just around the corner, and we’re absolutely thrilled to see how women around the world have embraced our favourite activity in the past year.

Our trends report findings indicate that over the past 12 months, women’s participation in outdoor swimming has increased from 65% to 73.5% as ever more women embrace the benefits of a dip in natural water.

Women, in particular, are embracing the thrill of the chill, with 65% of female outdoor swimmers saying they do so at least once per week in winter, compared to only 44% of men.

Overall, women say the most important reason why they swim outside is for their health and wellbeing, followed by “it helps me connect with nature.”

If you haven’t yet embraced outdoor swimming, we urge you to take the plunge. In our recent survey, 57% of women say they like outdoor swimming a lot more than they expected and only 1% say they like it less than they expected.

It’s time to get together with your swimming gal pals and celebrate the way that water unites us all this International Women’s Day. Head over to your local BlueTits facebook group or other local swimming crew to find organised swims to join, or join a fundraiser swim such as this one happening in Edinburgh with Anna Deacon which is raising money for charity Women’s Aid.

Why not have a little hot chocolate ceremony to celebrate and get warm, or a group dance to warm up before your dip? Whatever you do, get together and feel the love (and the cold!) this Tuesday.

Here’s to the strong women who inspire us to keep swimming!