Ice Zero Swimming Began With Lynne Cox

Ice Zero Swimming Began With Lynne Cox

Steven Munatones 02/02/2022 open water swimming No Comment

In 2004, the world became more familiar with the exploits of American Lynne Cox when her book Swimming to Antarctica was published where she described her experience of swimming in Antarctica. For 10 years, Cox remained the only human to swim at least a mile in water below 1°C.

On December 13th 2002, Cox swam 1.5 km from the ship Orlova in Admiralty Bay off King George Island in Antarctica in 2°C water, taking in 22 minutes. Two days later, the 45-year-old pioneer and multiple record holder swam 1.96 km from the Orlova anchored off Neko Harbor [shown above] to shore in 0.5°C waters in 25 minutes.

As ice swimming as a sport developed over the next two decades, the term Ice Zero became synonymous with the most hardened cold water swimmers in the world. An Ice Zero Swimmer is an individual who has completed an ice swim of at least one statute mile in water temperature below 1°C (33.8°F). These individuals have completed an Ice Zero Mile as certified by the International Ice Swimming Association:

Ice Zero Miles in Antarctica

  • Lynne Cox (USA) on 15 December 2002 in Neko Harbour, Antarctica in 0.5°C water in 25 minutes (1.96 km at 64.50°S latitude) at the age of 45
  • Ryan Stramrood (South Africa) on 2 March 2014 in Neko Harbour, Antarctica in -1.0°C water and 0.0°C air in 32 minutes 8 seconds (1.61 km at 64.90°S latitude) at the age of 48
  • Toks Viviers (South Africa) on 2 March 2014 in Paradise Bay, Antarctica in 0.5°C water and 0.0°C air in 25 minutes 30 seconds (1.61 km at 64.90°S latitude) at the age of 59
  • Gavin Pike (South Africa) on 2 March 2014 in Paradise Bay, Antarctica in 0.5°C water and 0.0°C air in 25 minutes 57 seconds (1.61 km at 64.90°S latitude)
  • Bhakti Sharma (India) on 10 January 2015 in Paradise Bay, Antarctica in 1ºC water in 41 minutes 14 seconds (1.42 miles or 2.29 km) at the age of 26
  • Jaimie Monahan (USA) on 6 March 2018 in Paradise Harbour, Antarctica in 0.57°C water and 1.0°C air in 30 minutes 49 seconds (1.01 miles or 1.63 km) at the age of 42
  • Cath Pendleton (Great Britain) on 22 February March 2020 in Hanusse Bay, Antarctica in 0.03°C water and -3.2°C air in 32 minutes 54 seconds (1.61 km at 66.60°S latitude) at the age of 49
  • Paul Georgescu (Romania) on 22 February 2020 in Hanusse Bay, Antarctica in 0.0°C water and 2.0°C air in 22 minutes 44 seconds (1.61 km at 66.60°S latitude) at the age of 43
  • Ger Kennedy (Ireland) on 24 February 2020 in Paradise Bay, Antarctica in 0.53°C water and -1.10°C air in 34 minutes 2 seconds (1.66 km at 64.90°S latitude) at the age of 52

Ice Zero Miles around the World

  • Henri Kaarma (Estonia) on 16 December 2012 in Tyumen, Russia in 0.3°C water and -33.0°C air in 25 minutes 25 seconds (1.37 miles or 1.66 km) at the age of 47
  • Aleksandr Brylin (Russia) on 16 December 2012 in Tyumen, Russia in 0.3°C water and -33.0°C air in 1 hour 5 minutes 6 seconds (1.37 miles or 2.2 km) at the age of 45
  • Andrey Sychyovv (Russia) on 16 December 2012 in Tyumen, Russia in 0.3°C water and -33.0°C air in 1 hour 6 minutes 30 seconds (1.37 miles or 2.2 km) at the age of 55
  • Ram Barkai (South Africa) on 23 March 2013 in Murmansk, Russia in 0.0°C water and 0.0°C air in 32 minutes 43 seconds (1.61 km) at the age of 64
  • Kieron Palframan (South Africa) on 23 March 2013 in Murmansk, Russia in 0.0°C water and 0.0°C air in 31 minutes 0 seconds (1.61 km) at the age of 47
  • Ryan Stramrood (South Africa) on 23 March 2013 in Murmansk, Russia in 0.0°C water and 0.0°C air in 30 minutes 0 seconds (1.61 km) at the age of 48
  • Henri Kaarma (Estonia) on 23 March 2013 in Murmansk, Russia in 0.0°C water and 0.0°C air in 33 minutes 0 seconds (1.34 miles or 2.16 km) at the age of 47
  • Henri Kaarma (Estonia) on 15 December 2013 in Tyumen, Russia in 0.0°C water and 0.0°C air in 41 minutes 47 seconds (1.49 miles or 2.4 km) at the age of 47
  • Ger Kennedy (Ireland) on 16 January 2016 in Wild Water Armagh Pool, Ireland in 0.77°C water and 4.0°C air in 32 minutes 30 seconds (1.61 km) at the age of 52
  • Jaimie Monahan (USA) on 18 December 2016 in Tyumen, Russia in -0.03°C water and -31.00°C air in 30 minutes 20 seconds (1.03 miles 1.66 km) at the age of 42
  • Ger Kennedy (Ireland) on 9 December 2017 in Tyumen, Russia in 0.5°C water and -18.8°C air in 43 minutes 10 seconds (1.25 miles or 2.01 km) at the age of 52
  • Kate Steels (Great Britain) on 24 December 2017 in South Lake, Shuangyashan City, China in 0.9°C water and -22.1°C air in 35 minutes 5 seconds (1.01 miles or 1.63 km) at the age of 52
  • Annabel Médard (France) on 13 February 2021 in Surfplas Reeuwijk, Netherlands in 0.76°C water and -17.90°C air in 52 minutes 24 seconds (1.61 km) at the age of 42
  • Jerwin Tholen (Netherlands) on 13 February 2021 in Reeuwijkse Plas, Netherlands in 0.76°C water and -17.90°C air in 37 minutes 5 seconds (1.61 km) at the age of 49
  • Antti Mäkinen (Finland) on 22 January 2022 in Ollilantie 12, Kyrö, Finland in -0.60°C water and -13.00°C air in 28 minutes 19 seconds (1.61 km at 60.70°N latitude) at the age of 29

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