Erdinger New Year's swim: "Almost like in the bathtub"

Created: 01/03/2023, 08:00

By: Hans Moritz

Huge interest in and around the water: With 128 participants, the New Year's swim by the Erding lifeguard and fire brigade set a new record.

They were greeted and cheered on by several hundred spectators along the banks of the Sempt on Sunday evening.

© Hans Moritz

The 23rd New Year's swim by the water rescue service and fire brigade in Erding has a record participation.

With mild temperatures, 128 brave dared to jump into the Sempt.

Erding - Water rescue service and fire brigade Erding put a check behind the corona pandemic: After a two-year forced break, the traditional New Year's swim could take place on the first day of 2023.

And the water babies in their wetsuits came as if the virus had never existed.

With 128 participants, the organizers set a new record.

The one from 2020 with 99 swimmers was broken.

This should not only have been due to the regained freedom, but also to the mild weather.

Because Erding was ten degrees warm on New Year's Day, the Sempt had seven degrees.

"It was a bit like being in the bathtub today," commented Erding's head of lifeguard Bernd Janowsky in a good mood, who himself had mingled with the swimmers again this year.

The 22 times before it had been bitterly cold, which was no fun for the spectators either, who had to wait for the New Year's swimmers in the shade of the beautiful tower at the finish line.

This year they wore it in the best of moods and serenity, having to wait longer than usual for the first frog people.

They had sent OB Max Gotz and BRK district chairman Jürgen Loher - for him the first New Year's swim in the new office - at 6:08 p.m. at the Heiliggeist-Stift not far from the city park on the wet journey.

And the 128 weren't in a hurry, which may have been due to the comparatively pleasant water temperatures.

But not only to them: Water rescue deputy Alexander Genstorfer, who had taken over the moderation at the finish, suspected that many a high-proof drink served from the bank must have ensured that the water rats did not progress too quickly.

Meanwhile, the audience exchanged New Year's wishes and grabbed punch, mulled wine and potato soup, which was served by the water rescue service and BRK readiness.

At 6:53 p.m., the first participants arrived – with torches, rockets, a floating campfire and lots of equipment that made a hell of a racket.

Every swimmer was registered when leaving the Sempt, so that the 23rd edition, like all the others before it, remained accident-free.

The waiting time was also bridged by Mayor Gotz, who not only brought New Year's greetings, but also encouraged the people of Erding to get more involved in society, especially in the clubs.

Because only then will Erding remain such a lively city with such wonderful events.

Luis Woitzik and Klaus Schuchardt didn't notice anything about this appeal, nor about the honorable mention that they were the youngest and the oldest participants at eight and 75 years of age respectively.

Schuchardt, an active life guard, didn't miss a single one of the 23 New Year's swims.

Konrad Schley from the diving club Barracuda and Jürgen Hartmann from the DLRG Wartenberg, who each competed 21 times, can almost hold a candle to him.

The largest group this year was the Gewo Feinmechanik company from Hörlkofen, which went into the water with 20 people.

But the delegations from the Altenerding and Erding fire brigades were also impressive in terms of numbers.

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