Last year after an early autumn snowfall in the Czech/Moravian highlands the water in the Pavov swimming pond near Jihlava had colled to 5.4c and an awful gale was blowing. It was a soothing thought for the psyche when preparing to face the same pond this year with a temperature of 7.5c. No sign of any gales, just a pleasant autumnal day, the bright colours of the trees in stark contrast to the dull water of the pond making a nice scene.
7.5c....feels cold in October
Again, many cold water enthusiasts turned up at the prospect of an autumnal water temperature and the main race over 750m saw 41 swimmers enter the water in just 1 wave. The starters pistol sounded and an adrenaline fuelled sprint followed for the first few hundred metres. With the very fastest young swimmers confined to just 250m as the water was under 8c there were no runaway leaders and a battle developed upfront.
Young elite swimmers battling to the finish in the 250m.
A nice fair course, ‘there and back” with just 1 turn buoy and by that stage Miroslav Nezhyba of Spartak Prerov had asserted his authority to reach the finish in first place with a time of 12m 47s. Second and third places went to Radomir Suchopa and Michael Moravec, repectively, both of Fides Brno. Following these came the main pelaton spearheaded by a close group of 5 and then a straggling cluster of 10, followed by the rest of the field. All 41 finished, with the slowest clocking in at 21.04. easily making the 22 minute limit. However the 7.5c water took its toll and 1 or 2 faster swimmers performed below their best. – more cold showers and longer training swims are the order of the day – no pain no gain!
Around 20 minutes in 7.5c water can take it's toll
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