Gdynia Winter Swimming Cup 2023 BCT Series: Testing Limits and Supporting a Good Cause
The Gdynia Winter Swimming Cup BCT Series by Piotr Biankowski, held on February 4-5, 2023 in the Baltic Sea in Poland was a spectacle to behold. This was the fourth edition of the winter swimming competition. Over 300 ice swimmers from across the country and beyond gathered in Marina Gdynia to compete on a specially built 25-meter track, braving the extreme winter weather, challenging conditions and water temperature that did not exceed two and a half degrees Celsius.
Despite heavy snowfall, gusty winds, rain, and sun all within 48 hours, the athletes persevered and proved their mettle. The strict rules of the competition, which only allowed the use of swimming goggles, a cap, and standard swimwear, added to the unique and challenging experience of the event.
In the most demanding distance 1 km “Baltic Cold Beast” in the OPEN category the winners were:
Women:
1st place: Hanna Bakuniak (Astoria Bydgoszcz),
2nd place: Aleksandra Kabelis (GWSC Team – organizer of the competition),
3rd place: Izabela Babica (KP Żaglica Poznań).
Men:
1st place: Marek Rother (Rother Team),
2nd place: Tomasz Lutkowski ,
3rd place: Krzysztof Kubiak (KP Żaglica Poznań).
The competition was also a chance for athletes and spectators to give back, as a charity collection for the Ronald McDonald Foundation was held alongside the event, allowing families to be together in their time of need.
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