Old School Winter Swimming, Louis Lecocq
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. When we look at the award podium and record books of the winter swimming and ice swimming worlds, our eyes immediately go to the fastest and first.
World-class swimmers like Christof Wandratsch of Germany who won the recent 1 km race at the Big Chill Swim Winter Swimming Gala in 12 minutes 42 seconds are impressive. Inspirationally so.
But so are swimmers like Louis Lecocq of Cool Huy team in Belgium who finished the 120m in 2:16.64 and the 1 km swim in 26:10.31 under strong winds, overcast skies, and in 6.4ºC (43.5ºF).
Lecocq swims both breaststroke and freestyle during his races, but always does so without goggles. “I do not like the fog inside the goggles,” he explains.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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