Salla Lamminpää from Oulu steps into the water. Next year, her city will host the World Cup in winter swimming.
The thermometer showed just a few degrees above freezing, and the sky was gray as the competitors faced off in the cold waters of Kurjoviken, Skelleftehamn, on Saturday.
For the second year in a row, this was the venue for the winter swimming event – or "World Cup Winter Swimming," as the competition is officially called. Previously, the event had been held in the middle of town.
This year's edition featured a record number of starts: over 600, compared to 430 last year. In total, swimmers from 21 different countries participated.
Signe Simonsen from Denmark was one of many first-time competitors.
– I have done a lot of winter swimming, but never in Skellefteå. I have never been to a competition this cold before, she says.
Mie Lisa Petersen from Denmark was dressed in pink.
But last year, it was even colder – more than 20 degrees below freezing. Thin ice sheets quickly formed on the water, and several people reported getting cuts.
– It was nice to avoid that this year. But I still think the water felt colder this time because it was quite windy, says Markus Bergman from Gällivare, who competed in the relay team "Självplågarna" (The Self-Tormentors).
The Australians Ian Giraud and Hugh Tompson participated for the second time and were pleased with this year's event.
– But I miss when it was in the middle of town. It was actually better then, and I feel like there were more spectators as well, says Hugh Tompson.
As usual, many added a bit of fun to the relays. The team "Stickkvartetten" (The Knitting Quartet) from Umeå, for example, swam wearing homemade, colorful knitted hats.
Ellen Taylor from the United Kingdom and Ailen Lascano Micaz from Argentina.
Toivo Säily from Finland was dressed as a crab.
– I don’t even go swimming in the summer, but this went so well and so fast! It almost feels like a dream, says Lyuba Angelcheva.
Next year, the World Cup in winter swimming will be held in Oulu, Finland. A team from there was present, wearing red Moroccan fezzes.
– I’ve swum here in Skellefteå three times before, so it feels quite familiar by now. I love winter swimming – it really makes you feel alive, says Salla Lamminpää.
The observant reader may have noticed that Norran once again participated with our own relay team this year. So how did it go for us this time?
– It was fun, and I’m proud of the team, says team captain Johanna Sandgren.
Melker Westerberg agrees:
– When you step in, it’s freezing. But once you start swimming, you don’t think much about the cold!
You can find all the competition results on the Swimify website.
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Hugh Thompson from Australia was satisfied with the competition but feels it was better when everything was held in the town center.
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