Record participation at Geneva Christmas lake swim
The swimmers have exactly 100 metres to cover and the record to beat is just under a minute.
Keystone / Salvatore Di Nolfi
Over 3,000 swimmers are expected to take a cold plunge for the 82nd edition of the Christmas Cup in Lake Geneva.
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Some 1,500 intrepid swimmers took to the waters on Saturday, with similar numbers anticipated on Sunday. The water temperature was around 7°C and the ambient temperature was just above zero.
Cancelled last year because of Covid-19, the swimming event, launched in 1934 by the Geneva Swimming Club, is spread over two days this year. Organisers received a record 3,200 entries, for what they bill as the largest winter-swimming event in the world.
The participants launched into the chilly waters of Lake Geneva in groups of about 20 people at regular intervals. Most were dressed in costumes.
The swimmers have exactly 100 metres to cover and the record to beat is just under a minute (59.26 seconds). The elite will start on Sunday, with a prize of CHF500 (around $541) for the fastest man and woman.
The budget for the event amounts to around CHF200,000. Profits go to the Geneva Swimming Club and are used to train young swimmers and coaches.
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