IISA Announces Winter Event Dates including GB Championships in Cheltenham
The International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) has updated its northern hemisphere winter events listing. The series now includes 10 events in 9 different countries, of which seven are currently open for entries. Six of the events are at open water locations while four are in unheated swimming pools.
In addition, the IISA have added a 500m race to their World Cup series.
On 22 and 23 February 2020, the IISA will be at Sandford Lido, in Cheltenham, for the IISA GB Championships. Entries will open on 31 October 2019.
Races range from 50m relay sprints to 1000m solo swims. As events are in unheated bodies of water, temperatures will vary widely but it is expected that some of the events will be in (or close to) 0 degree water. Ice swimming is generally considered to be swimming in water of less than 5 degrees Celsius.
The Cheltenham event, along with the event on 4 January 2020 in Veitsbronn, Germany, form part of IISA’s World Cup. The aim of the World Cup Series is to: “encourage swimmers to travel and participate in events in as many countries as possible.” Swimmers earn points based on their placings in the 1000m and 500m solo events. The season runs from 1 May to 30 April each year.
Are you interested in Ice Swimming events?
Simon Griffiths
I started Outdoor Swimmer in 2011 (initially as H2Open Magazine) as an outlet for my passion for swimming outdoors. I've been a swimmer and outdoor swimmer for as long as I remember. Swimming has made a huge difference to my life and I want to share its joys and benefits with as many people as possible. I am also the author of Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 a Year, I provide one-to-one support to swimmers through Swim Mentoring and I'm the creator of the Renaissance Swimmer project.
