On a Saturday this January, Tooting Bec lido will once again play host to the biennial Cold Water Swimming Championships, organised by those freezing water fiends at the South London Swimming Club.
The £12 entry fee allows you to enter a plethora of races, including 'head up' breaststroke, a 500 yard challenge, and the team relay race. Competitors will get to enjoy a Finnish sauna and hot tub afterwards, which'll be most welcome as temperatures are unlikely to be much above 3 degrees, water almost cold enough to make Duncan Goodhew's hair grow back.
Visit the SLSC website for full details on how to register; closing date is 24 December, but best get in quickly as there are only 350 places available.
For those who want a sneak preview of what to expect: last December we sent an intrepid / foolhardy reporter to paddle in the frigid, frozen waters of Brockwell lido for the annual midwinter swim. Here's his report, with bone-shivering pictures to boot.
Cold Water Swimming Championships, 22nd January 2011, at Tooting Bec lido.
Photo of Tooting Bec lido by Ronald Hackston.
