On January 12, the water temperature was 4.3 C°.
Not enough to frighten these extreme athletes who trained several times a week, for months, in freezers or at the foot of Patagonian glaciers.
Nearly 500 athletes took part in the Ice Water Swimming World Cup in Haute-Savoie, not far from Chamonix.
In the 25m pool just cleared of its layer of ice, a first group of swimmers awaits the start of the race.
They wear a simple jersey and on the edges of the pool, the atmosphere is concentrated: the 1000 m, premier category, is nicknamed "the race of all dangers" in view of the risks of hypothermia it presents: body temperature could drop to 32 C°.
Read alsoIce swimming: Marion Joffle, the adventurer in icy waters from Lisieux, will now cross the Channel
After passing medical tests, athletes are closely watched by dozens of officials, rescuers and divers who can force them out of the water if they perceive danger.
After the race, they are directed to the warm-up rooms to be able to recover.
Although the practice of ice bathing has existed for a long time, the sporting discipline is attracting more and more people and could soon be part of the Winter Olympics.
