Yes… people really do that…

Hi all,

So I just got an email from our Irish LOSTie, Gerry O’Donnell, who is in Florida… but dreaming of colder swims! haha.  Here’s the link he sent for the World Winter Swimming Championships!  Although Gerry has done more than his fair share of cold water swimming in Ireland… he’s signed up for the 3 man relay in the Swim Around Key West!  We are now up to 6 solo and 9 relay swimmers in Key West and 1 solo and 6 relay swimmers for Tampa Bay!!!  Check out the LOST Travel Team tab above… it’s not to late to join us!

Or you can sign up for the Winter Swimming World Championships for next year!!!

Hi Rob,

While we look forward to some Florida swimming this year I noticed a report on the World Winter Swimming Championships in Jurmala, Riga, Latvia, on Saturday 21 January. 

Some Irish Swimmers won medals including 2 gold in the 450 metre endurance swim.  The Irish team came 7th out of the 27 countries that competed and were competing against countries with a history of ice swimming including Russia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. I see that Canada won one bronze medal.

The water temperature was minus 1 degree and swimmers had to abide by normal sea swimming rules and not wear wet suits etc. The 450metre course they competed in was a “swimming pool” cut out of ice in the river Lielupe which flows into the Baltic Sea at Jurmala, Riga. The sea in Dublin this winter is around 4 degrees, so swimming at minus one is a substantial drop in temperature.

For pictures see  www.winterswimming2012.com