Ice-Swimming Enthusiasts in Siberia Brave the Season’s First Freezing Dip | The Guardian

Ice-swimming enthusiasts in the Siberian city of Omsk welcomed winter with the season’s first freezing dip. Dozens of locals, who call themselves ‘walruses’, gathered at the bank of the Irtysh River to participate in an amateur race or simply to brave the 3C (37.4F) waters. The air temperature hovered at around zero (32F). The youngest member of the local ‘walruses’ club, 19-year-old Viktor, also celebrated the new season by setting his own personal record, staying in the water for five minutes straight.