I. PKO Praha’s traditional swimmers’ baptism took place on Sunday 8 January 2012. The weather was less traditional: air at 4°C, water at 5°C, cloudy skies but no snow. We also welcomed Ladislav Nicek Jr, son of the legendary swimmer. Visiting Jiří and Jiří Horník from Vejprnice near Plzeň brought the number baptised to twenty.
Our newly baptised members were Eva Havlíková, Radmila Macurová, Jarmila Bohatová, Jan Koželuh, Milan Polívka, Jan Podlaha, Martin Chromý, Karel Kučera, Antonín Kutil, Jan Bendl, Pavel Mudra, Petr Bubela, Alexander Shonert, Radmila Srbová, Petr Hubal and Petr Tomášek. The last three are Bohemians swimmers competing with us during winter. Ludmila Vladyková and Ondřej Závodský, who missed the previous baptism, joined them.
Around forty seasoned members joined the newcomers, some renewing their own baptism. Visitors unwilling to brave the cold water at least dipped their fingers in our ceremonial cup for better health in 2012. Two television crews also attended: Metropol TV and Russian television.
Links:
- Metropol TV recording (the one-minute Braník segment begins at 10:10 and is now available as a separate clip)
- Amateur recording of the baptism on Jack Bright’s blog
Photo gallery
Photos: Ivan Landa and Zdeněk Tlamicha