Winter Swimming
in Tallinn (Pirita Open 2016)
Hi again!
I´m a little bit behind schedule writing the posts but this time
is for a good reason as we have a lot Winter Swimming Events this year :)
In the last post I´ve told the Skellefteå adventure with the
water at 0,1°C. I tell that I didn´t know if I will continue with the Winter
Swimming Season but, with the swimming thing I´m really easy to convince so,
with the eyes closed, I´ve booked my trip to Tallinn to swim the Pirita Open
2016 (4th stage of the Winter Swimming World Cup).
In Skellefteå I´ve swam 25 and 50m so this time I´ve to
increase the distance. I´ll swim 4 races in one day: 25m breastroke, 50m
freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle (this last one is the one which
worries me the most…and the most exciting one).
I land in Tallinn with a heavy snow…it feels like home :) I arrive at the hotel,
in an unknown country and a city where I wasn´t before but as soon as I enter
the hotel lobby I meet known faces. Nils (Swedish swimmer) and Sinne (Danish swimmer)…hugs
and smiles, that´s like being home :D A lot of swimmers from all around the
world meet again to do what we love the most, and no one here look at as like
weirdos for swimming in ice water.
The day of the swim I wake up pretty well, I have some
breakfast and I go to the starting point where they tell me: temperature of the
water 0,8°C!!! Fresh! In my head a voice sounds all the time “200m, 200m, 200m”
at 0,8°C is going to be a challenge.
We start with 25m breastroke: Good feelings, the breastroke
is not my style but I feel good. A 4th place which cheers me up! I
go to the hotel to warm up in the warm pool until my next swim, 50m freestyle.
I arrive “late” to my heat in 50m because they are a little
bit in advance. I went running in the snow without shoes to get my position in
the pool and I meet Jaimie there (American swimmer). She´s a champion who will
pass me in 2 seconds but she´s a great friend, it´s an honor to swim by her
side J.
Here we go! You won´t believe me but I didn´t even feel the cold. I´ve no clue
about what´s my position but my 46” in 50m is a record competing to myself :)
Very happy I went for lunch with Maria Luisa (Brazilian swimmer)
and her kids. Thinking I had enough time I go back to the pool area and my heat
has already started. They go in advance but they allowed me to swim the 100m
freestyle with the last heat of the men. This implies I almost won´t have time
to recover between 100 and 200m as I´ve to swim in the first heat for 200m
freestyle. I thought about it for a minute and I said to myself “You´re already
here, come on!!”
I swim the 100m freestyle a little bit nervous but it went
well. I had good feelings in the water but it starts to snow when I go out of
the water. I decide to be in the hot-tub until my turn in the 200m as the snow
is heavy and it´s really cold. Still snowing and it´s already my turn to swim
the 200m freestyle. This time with no hurry I go to my line and next to me
Jaimie again :) we entered the water and at this point I didn´t even feel the snow falling over
us.
I go pretty calm until 100m, I think that I´m swimming fine
regardless the cold and the numbness. When I turn to 150m I kick the platform
(it hurts) but I can see smiles and known and unknown people cheering up out of
the water!! Come on, come on, come on!!! I turn to 175m! Pretty numb but I
manage not to kick the platform again in my turn to 200m, great!! Almost
there!! Now I start to move my legs, that I was reserving, as much as I can and…done!!
2nd place!! 200m at 0,8°C o_O!! Unbelievable!! I went out of the
water with a huge smile, laughing, jumping and I meet Alexandr Jacolev,
vicepresident of the International Winter Swimming Association, taking me
pictures and congratulating to end up well :) Finally, those 200m that were scaring me turned to be the best swim of the
day!!
Already dressed it´s time to relax and party!! The obvious
question: “Loli, are you going to swim in Tyumen (Siberia) the last stage of
the World Cup” This time the answer is no L.
I´d love to go but the same weekend there is an important swimming event in
Spain. For the first time an Ice Swimming championship will take place. It will
be Puigcerdá (Pyrenees) and I have to be there. The temperature of the water
there won´t be that low but the medium distance 450m and the long distance
1000m will be a challenge…I have to try!!
Pyrenees Ice
Swimming Festival 2016 here we go!!!