First Prague Cold-Water Swimming Club – Page 11 – The oldest and largest cold-water swimming club in the Czech Republic

Club life

Invitation to the Cold-Water Swimmers’ Baptism in the Vltava

As usual, the first Sunday in January — this time 3 January 2016 — brings the traditional cold-water swimmers’ baptism. The event is open to swimmers and the public. New club members are baptised, while other members and visitors renew theirs each year by tradition. The ceremony has a long history: you can read how the Mladá fronta newspaper described it, and cold-water swimmers generally, in 1948. Afterwards, anyone interested can move to a nearby restaurant for a private launch of “The Bering Papers” by our member Jack Bright. Full details of both events follow. Read more…

Alfred Nikodem Memorial 2015

Updated with the midday news, Jaromír Váňa’s video report and Antonín Kutil’s photo gallery.
The Alfred Nikodem Memorial took place for the 69th time beside Prague’s National Theatre. The oldest cold-water swimming event draws more swimmers every year. This year set another record: an incredible 340 swimmers, fifty more than last year. They used the magnificent Žofín Palace as their base and started from pontoons on Slovanský Island, which also served as the finish. Crowds watched the Christmas competition from the embankments, Legion Bridge and adjoining parts of Slovanský and Střelecký islands. The traditional St Stephen’s Day race enjoyed beautiful sunshine and an exceptionally “warm” Vltava at 6.9°C. Read more…

Alfred Nikodém Memorial

Invitation to the Christmas Cold-Water Swimming Festival 2015

I. plavecký klub otužilců Praha warmly invites you to the 69th Alfred Nikodem Memorial, our Christmas swimming competition in the Vltava.

The oldest and best-known cold-water swimming event will take place on Saturday 26 December 2015, St Stephen’s Day, at 11:00 in the Vltava beside Prague’s National Theatre.

The first African participant in the event’s history shows that it really is open to anyone with courage — and a medical certificate. Read more…

Petr Šlajs takes third in an international competition

On Saturday 19 December 2015, the international River Labe CZ Ice Swim 2015 took place on the Labe in Hradec Králové under the auspices of the International Ice Swimming Association. Our I. PKO member Petr Šlajs took an excellent third place overall. Read more…

In the media

Our New Club Member on Czech Radio

How is our newest recruit, Lucie Leišová, preparing for her next swimming challenge — the English Channel? Find out in the interview broadcast by Czech Radio Radiožurnál on 17 December 2015. Read more…

In the media

Cold-Water Swimming Is Not about Records — You Feel It in Your Mood

A more resilient body, an unusual way to relax, perhaps even the admiration of friends. Cold-water swimming also has fairly strict rules, however…

Read the original article on ČtiDoma.cz (in Czech)

Winter swimming competitions

Pilsen Solstice Festival 2015

On Saturday 28 November 2015, the 37th Solstice Festival cold-water swimming competition took place at Bolevecký Pond in Pilsen. It also always includes the club competition for the Pilsen Mayor’s Cup. This is a challenge trophy: any club winning it three years in a row keeps it permanently. I. PKO Praha swimmers had won it in each of the preceding three seasons, so it became ours for good and now has a permanent home in our clubhouse. Read more…

Winter swimming competitions

Jičínský Knížepán through a Newcomer’s Eyes

Our currently fastest swimmer, Petr Šlajs, describes his first encounter with fellow Czech Winter Swimming Cup competitors on his blog. Below you will also find a link to photos from the event. Read more…

Winter swimming competitions

The Winter Swimming Season Begins

After a two-year break caused by construction work, the winter swimming season opened once again in its traditional and beautiful setting, the Punkva Caves. Thirty swimmers from our club attended the 35th Liška’s Punkva, also the 67th T. K. Divíšek Memorial. They included several newcomers, Read more…

Club life

New Swimming Talent Leads the Club Trial

As usual, the weather improved for our pre-season “triathlon”, allowing the working party and campfire to go ahead as planned. The least predictable part was the club trial. New faces dominated, taking the first five places in the combined men’s and women’s standings. Read more…

We practise recreational cold-water swimming and competitive winter swimming. Our members can train in the Vltava at Prague-Braník throughout the year. We actively take part in the Czech Winter Swimming Cup and the Czech Open-Water Swimming Cup.

We regularly organise three official winter swimming competitions ourselves. Alongside Branické ledy, there is the oldest and most prestigious cold-water swimming event, the Alfred Nikodém Memorial. It takes place every year on Boxing Day in the Vltava in front of the National Theatre.

In recent years, we have also regularly hosted the Czech Winter Swimming Breaststroke Championships in the outdoor, unheated pool at the Podolí swimming stadium.

During the summer season, we also take part in open-water races in the Czech Open-Water Swimming Cup series.

Our club includes many members from abroad and from all over Czechia. One of the best examples of how cold-water swimming brings people together is the rapidly growing community in northern Moravia — our thriving “second leg”, Otužilci Frýdek-Místek. Find out more at www.otuzilcifm.cz.

Otužilci Frýdek-Místek is also where the Czech cold-water swimming app JSEM TU! originated. Our club has been using it since autumn 2026. JSEM TU! is a free app made by cold-water swimmers for cold-water swimmers, and we are happy to recommend it. More at www.jsemtu.info/otuzko.

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