The tenth anniversary edition of our competition was also the first Ladislav Nicek Memorial. Interest was strong, with 151 competitors. Conditions were truly wintry; to quote the certificate, water 1.9°C, air −14°C. A weak current made the event still harder, perhaps explaining why several strong swimmers chose shorter distances. Last year, 54 swam 1,000 metres; this year, only 31 of the hardiest attempted the longest course.
Fortunately, fears about floating ice were largely unfounded. I heard a complaint from only one swimmer, although he had the misfortune to hit ice three times. The previous evening featured a tribute to Ladislav Nicek, with three brave souls camping on the island opposite our clubhouse. The awards ceremony at Modřany Cinema was followed by a screening of the documentary Winter swimming by Jack Bright.
- Braník Ice results, 4 February 2012
- Czech Television report (starts at approximately 16:46; use the playback slider to skip ahead)
- Tribute to Ladislav Nicek (photos of the accompanying event, 3 February 2012)
- Photos by J. Kuřina (FB)
- iDnes video report
- Article in Magazín Českých novin
- Lost property: a blue T-shirt and a black insulated Hiko swimming cap (claim them by commenting below).
Photo gallery
Photos: Ivan Landa, Irena Lichá and Jiří Kuřina.