SA swimmers break ice in Fraserburg in world first Speedo Ice Swim Africa

Fraserburg, Northern Cape – Twenty five cold water swimmers successfully completed a record-setting swim at the weekend in an icy 4C dam in Fraserburg, near Sutherland – the coldest town in SA — to complete the first ever Speedo Ice Swim Africa.

The swim marked the launch of the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) by veteran extreme cold water swimmer Ram Barkai. The swim was also aligned with the World Cup’s 1Goal campaign and celebrated Nelson Mandela’s 92nd birthday.

Six of the 25 swam a mile while 19 completed 600m in what is believed to have been the most extreme conditions ever swum in Africa. The mile participants became the first members of the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) which requires a minimum of a mile swim in water sub 5C with no swimming aids and wearing only a pair of goggles, a Speedo costume and a cap.

The mile swimmers were Ram Barkai, Theodore Yach, Andrew Chin, Ryan Stramrood, Kieron Palframan and Toks Viviers. They were all awarded an IISA Red Jacket.

The nineteen 600m participants were veteran cold water swimmers, many of whom have completed the arduous 7.5km annual Cadiz Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Blouberg which is regarded as extreme due to the Atlantic temperature of about 13C.

Among them was 18 year old Henko Roukema who said afterwards: “I must have a red jacket. Next year, I am going for the mile!”

South Africa and Cape Town in particular, is becoming synonymous for extreme swimming. South African swimmers are also well known for their high success rate in completing the English Channel and in other extreme swimming events here and around the world.

The dam’s water temperature plummeted to 2-3C early on Saturday but rose to a “warm” 4C when the swim took place thanks to the Karoo winter sun.

“This event was to Fraserburg, what the world cup was for Cape Town” said Ronel le Roux, who, together with her husband Herman, is setting up a new school in the town. The swim raised R10 000 for the school, Destiny Academy, Fraserburg.

“Where ever we go to swim, we try to leave something behind for the community that so kindly hosts us. It was very, very cold but we all made it and we feel honoured to be able to have been able to do something for this rural community,” said Barkai, who is also the CEO of Cadiz, founder of the IISA and founder of the world famous Cadiz Freedom Swim.

Swimmers families made the five hour trip to Fraserburg while townsfolk and farmers from all around the Karoo came to watch. Speedo, the main sponsor, together with Leap Communications organised what all swimmers described as one of the most professional and safest events they had ever participated in. The swim was a first of its kind in the world.

Yach, who is sponsored by Marcus Rohrer Spirulina and who recently completed an 30km ultra swim from Three Anchor Bay in Cape Town around Robben Island and back, described the swim as the hardest he had ever undertaken said, “For me it was beyond the outer limits of my ability, I am glad I have done it, but wild horses are going to be needed to drag me to anything close to this again. This re-defines extreme.”

Head of Speedo SA, Stuart Hopwood said the event was the first of its kind in the world and it proved that committed athletes could push the boundaries through careful preparation and by applying their minds. “This is a world first. Never before have so many people swum such distances in one event at water temperatures below 5C. It was a phenomenal achievement by all and Speedo is proud to have helped these brave swimmers push the limits while at the same time raise R10 000 for a much needed new school in this rural community.”

All swimmers were medically screened and cleared before and after the event by a Medi-Clinic team of specialized doctors and nurses.

Additional sponsors were super multi-nutrient Marcus Rohrer Spirulina and the Similasan homeopathic range of health products.

Issued by:
Leap Communications
021 785 3683
info@leapcommunications.co.za
www.leapcommunications.co.za

For further details: contact:

• Event organizer: Craig Doonan on 021 785 3683 or 083 463 1827
• Speedo: Nicola Heimann on 082 527 6654

For a range of high res pics, click here
Click here for the six mile swimmers’ biogs…