Mielno, Europe Brief News – Nearly 9,000 people took part in the 20th International Winter Swimming Rally in Mielno on Sunday, in northwestern Poland.
Participants, nicknamed “walruses” in Poland, braved the 2-degree (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit) water temperature of the Baltic Sea, with air temperatures around 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit).
The practice of winter swimming, or “morsowanie” in Polish, is a long-standing tradition in the country, with people immersing themselves in cold water to improve their health and boost their immunity.
The event, which has been organized in Mielno since 2004, was attended by people from several European countries, including Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary, town Mayor Olga Roszak-Pezala said.
It included a colourful parade through the streets of Mielno and also featured a jacuzzi zone, saunas, and fitness classes.
The event gathered 8,893 participants, called “walruses”, beating last year’s attendance numbers.
The oldest attendee was 84 years old, while the youngest only three months.
While attendance was the highest in 2023, no Guinness World Record for a winter swimming rally was recorded.
Since 2004, Mielno has become the international capital for cold swimming enthusiasts for a few days every February. The town wields the Guinness record for the number of people bathing in the cold sea in one spot (1,799) from 2015.
