Russia: Brave swimmers dive into freezing waters for Winter Swimming Championship

Dozens of people dived into the freezing cold waters of a pond specifically created for the Winter Swimming Championship in Moscow Region’s Podolsk, Sunday. The participants swam a distance of 25 or 50 meters (82 or 164 feet) in different swimming styles while air temperatures were as low as -20 °C (-4 °F). The results were recorded by judges who monitored the race. After swimming the participants were able to warm up in a bathhouse and drink hot tea. One of the participants, Pavel Stepanchenko, said he