We may be expecting snow, but that won’t stop more than 300 brave swimmers competing in the UK Cold Water Swimming Championships at Tooting Bec Lido this Saturday.
The annual event, now in its fourth year, attracts cold water enthusiasts from around the world, who come to swim in Europe’s largest fresh water pool, where the average temperature is as low as 4°C.
It is too late to register to take part, but spectators are welcome to see the races between 9am and 5pm, which include the freestyle dash and relays, the 450m endurance challenge and the traditional ‘head up’ breaststroke.
There will also be a range of special ales and hot drinks, hog roast, stalls, crazy hat competition and a Finnish sauna available to warm swimmers up when they get out of the pool.
Organiser Margy Sullivan of the South London Swimming Club said: “The winter swimming championships maintain a 100 year-old tradition of year round swimming at the lido and show people that anything is possible.”
• For more information visit slsc.org.uk
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