Swimmers take cold plunge in Berlin, London

Dec 27, 2013

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While many stayed well fed and warm inside this Christmas, dozens of hardy swimmers braved the cold in Berlin and London on Wednesday, to take part in annual Christmas Day swims.

Around 40 people dressed in Santa costumes gathered at Oranke lake in Berlin to conquer the 41-degree Farenheit water.

The tradition, founded in 1984, has been kept alive by members of the Berlin Seals Club.
Hoping for even colder weather and ice, the Berlin seals will meet again on New Years day.

In London’s Hyde Park, swimmers took to the waters for the traditional annual 100-metre race.

The race is a long standing tradition of the Serpentine Swimming Club, with the first recorded session taking place 146 years ago. The race took place in the Serpentine, a recreational lake in the center of the park.