We had a wonderful day at U Žida on 30 March 2024. Together with our swimming friends from Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, we brought six months of cold-water swimming at U Žida to a close. The weather was glorious and we saw some impressive sporting performances, but above all we came together to do something we all enjoy. Here in Frýdek-Místek, cold-water swimming is more than a sport: it is a chance for like-minded people to meet.
Registration is now open for the second Cold-Water Duathlon. The race is part of the joint end-of-season gathering for the Frýdek-Místek and Frýdlant nad Ostravicí cold-water swimming groups, starting at 9 am on 30 March 2024.
On 30 March 2024, after six months of cold-water swimming, we will close the season at U Žida in Frýdek-Místek together with the Frýdlant nad Ostravicí swimmers. The event includes our second Cold-Water Duathlon: a race in which you run, swim and run again.
So we took our annual group photograph — more than one, in fact, and not just group shots. At 1.9°C, the water was perfect for winter swimmers. The photographs in the album below are by Vojtěch Vajda. Thank you for them.
On Wednesday 10 January, it finally happened: a run of freezing days brought ice to the river. The whole entry pool and the entrance to the main Ostravice channel had frozen over. First we had to break the ice; only then could we enjoy a proper wallow in the icy water. We photographed and filmed everything, because you never know when it might be your last chance :-) The water was a lovely 0.0°C.
‘Bobtužování’ is a winter sport combining sledging and cold-water dipping. To give it a go, you need a snowy slope ending in water, a willingness to try something new and a sense of fun. That last ingredient is essential.
First, have a look at how the water temperature in the Ostravice fell. I have extended October's chart: it only starts to get interesting when you look at a longer period.
It may seem early to start thinking about it, but it is not. If you want to run a marathon in the spring, now is the time to buy your trainers and start running too. The Frýdek-Místek and Frýdlant nad Ostravicí cold-water swimming season ends on 30 March 2024, and the finale will include our second Cold-Water Duathlon: a race combining running and swimming.
It has been two weeks since the season began. The weather has mostly been kind to us. The water is around 15°C; only once has it been as low as 10.6°C. The sun is shining, and getting out of the water feels almost like summer. Every Saturday somebody new comes along to try it and thinks: so this is cold-water swimming? Now is the time to pay attention.
