Icicle challenge aims to get people in the sea year-round
A SNAPPY winter sea swimming challenge is aimed to get more people in the water year-round in Guernsey.
Debbie Townsend, a member of Guernsey Swim All Seasons, who works for a trust company, is the brains behind the brand new Icicle Challenge.
The challenge is points based – each participant earns points by completing sea swims between 1 November and 31 March 2022.
‘My aim is to encourage as many people as possible to continue swimming as the temperatures fall, to retain the friendships made through swimming with the GSAS and because of all the benefits of cold water swimming. At the end of the day, who doesn’t love a challenge?’ said Mrs Townsend.
The challenge is to complete 10 sea swims during each month of the challenge, and participants will earn one point for each swim.
Five bonus points can be earned by completing a swim on either Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day, as well as starting the new year with a New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day swim.
Other bonuses include completing distanced swims under 10, 11, and 12C temperatures.
Mrs Townsend also adapted the challenge for juniors who want to participate or might be joining their parents for swims. She said she wanted the challenge to be as inclusive and as fun as possible for swimmers of all ages, abilities and experience levels.
There is a lot of research to prove the health benefits of cold water swimming. Mrs Townsend said it can boost your immune system, improve circulation, slow the onset of dementia, and boost endorphin levels to improve your mood and help mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
‘I enjoy swimming in every season, but there is something quite wonderful about swimming as the sea temperatures fall during the winter months,’ she said.
‘My swims get shorter but for the time I am in the water my whole focus is on being in the sea, nothing else. My mind shuts out everything apart from what I am doing in that moment, it stops thinking about the tasks waiting back at the office or what I need to buy from the shop. It’s my personal reset button.’
Despite the benefits, personal safety must be considered when cold water swimming.
Mrs Townsend said it is important for individuals to know their personal limits and consider sea conditions before each swim.
She said not every day is a swim day, and emphasised the importance of people knowing their own limits.
n For more information about the challenge, visit the Guernsey Swim All Seasons Facebook group.
