Petar Stoychev, Ice Swimming Hall Of Fame Honor Swimmer

Video courtesy of Colin Hill. Information courtesy of Ned Denison, Ice Swimming Hall of Fame.

“Petar Stoychev is uniquely versatile – he has been at the top of his sport in so many disciplines,” observed Steven Munatones. “There is literally no one like him; not before, not now. Petar has competed four times at the Olympics as a pool swimmer, taken sixth in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, set the English Channel solo swimming record, won the 25 km FINA world title in 32°C water, swum an Ice Kilometer in Antarctica in -1.4C water [see video above], set the Ice Kilometer world record at the International Ice Swimming Association world championships, dominated the FINA UltraMarathon Swim Series for 11 years, and traveled around the world in professional marathon swims for over a decade.”

The 43-year-old Stoychev was announced as an Honor Swimmer by the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame in its Class of 2020, selected by representatives from the world of winter swimming, ice swimming, and open water swimming including Paolo Chiarino of Italy, Ned Denison of Ireland, Elaine K Howley of the USA, Pádraig Mallon of Ireland, Leszek Naziemiec of Poland, Kieron Palframan of South Africa, Shelley Taylor-Smith of Australia, and Jonty Warneken of the UK.

Ned Denison described the Bulgarian’s unparalleled credentials, “Petar is a 4-time Olympian, a marathon swimming world champion, a channel record holder, an ice swimming world champion and a long-time advocate of the sport.“

Ram Barkai, founder of the International Ice Swimming Association confirmed that he has not only completed 4 certified Ice Kilometer races, but they were also all under 13 minutes and all podium finishes. He twice set the world record; first on January 10th 2016 in 12 minutes 28 seconds and then again on January 6th 2017 in 12 minutes 15.87 seconds. He also completed five more Ice Kilometer races that were all podium finishes.

At International Winter Swimming Association competitions in Tyumen, Russia 2016, he won the 450‐meter race and took 3rd in the 200m freestyle. The Bulgarian Olympic flag bearer is also inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Stoychev joins the following members of the Class of 2020 in the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame:

* Jackie Cobell of Great Britain, Honor Swimmer
* Fergal Somerville of Ireland, Honor Contributor – Administrator
* Kate Steels of Great Britain, Honor Swimmer
* Christof Wandratsch of Germany, Honor Swimmer
* Antarctic Circle Challenge of South Africa, Honor Event
* Murmansk Winter Swimming of Russia, Honor Event

The Class of 2020 joins the following swimmers and contributors from the inaugural Class of 2019:

* Honor Swimmer and Honor Contributor – Administrator Ram Barkai of South Africa
* Honor Swimmer Aleksander Brylin of Russia
* Honor Swimmer Henri Kaarma of Estonia
* Honor Swimmer Jaimie Monahan of the USA
* Honor Swimmer Lewis Pugh of Great Britain
* Honor Contributor – Administrator Mariia Yrjö-Koskinen of Finland
* Honor Event Bering Strait Relay with individuals from 23 countries
* Honor Contributor – Media Steven Muñatones of the USA

For more information, photos and detailed biographies for the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame honorees and contributors of the Class of 2019 and the Class of 2020, visit www.IceSwimmingHallOfFame.com.

Petar Stoychev’s Certified Ice Kilometer Swims:
1. 12:28:00 on January 10th 2016 at the Aqua Sphere Ice Swimming World Championships in Burghausen, Germany in 3.90°C water
2. 12:30:00 on February 26th 2016 at the Estonian 1km Ice Swimming Association Championships in Tallinn, Estonia in 0.00°C water
3. 12:15:87 on January 6th 2017 at the 2nd Ice Swimming Aqua Sphere World Championships in Burghausen, Germany in 3.40°C water and -11.10°C air
4. 12:39:60 on January 7th 2018 at the Ice Swimming German Open in Veitsbronn, Germany in 3.80°C water
5. 11:08:39 on November 23rd 2018 at the Antarctica Ice Swimming Championships in Port Lockroy, Antarctica in -1.20°C water and -7.60°C air
6. 12:10:81 on March 18th 2019 at the IISA III World Championships in Murmansk, Russia in 0.00°C water and -6.30°C air

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