Open Water Swimming News & Views

Ram Barkai , founder and chairperson of the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA), shared a variety of changes to the IISA [shown above in Antarctica]. IISA Restructure Following a big and successful World Championship in early 2023 and the rapid growth in our sport, IISA has embarked on a restructuring of its operating model to allow us to deal with its growth and allow for more people to get involved and contribute to our sport. IISA covers various activities from Ice Mile and its derivative challenges to competitions and events. IISA is not chasing any sports association or its business model. It [is] certainly learning and following some established experiences, but the most important part of the IISA sport model is its swimmers, their safety, and their passion for the ICE. We endeavour to maintain this forever. Some IISA Board members have stepped down to join some of the newly formed working committees and to allow new ones to join us in time. I want to take t...

History tells us that Japanese samurai, the Roman Legions, and the Spartan soldiers all underwent cold water swimming as part of their military and mental preparations. The leaders of these hardened men of earlier millenia knew that training along the seashore, in lakes, and in rivers, especially during the winter and early spring months, would increase their tolerance to cold and various hardships, making them overall better warriors. They learned to swim in all kinds of different water environments and conditions. The Japanese had specific terms for these types of swimming: shinden ryu (marathon swimming), kankai ryu (ocean swimming), suifu ryu (river swimming or rapids swimming), as well as other methods that were based on the topography and waterways (e.g., coastline or mountain areas). For example, if the samurai had to fight while wearing armor, they would study the kobori ryu (combative swimming) where the samurai would eggbeater (tread water) while keeping their upper...