Fervid Finnish ice bathers hail benefits of wintry waters
IMATRA, Finland (AFP) ? Elsewhere ice bathing may be considered an eccentric hobby, but in the land of frozen lakes and saunas it is virtually a national pastime, with many Finns swearing by the health benefits of dipping into wintry waters.
"It cleanses the mind and helps me leave work stuff behind," Martti Salonen, 58, told AFP as he prepared to dive into a just above freezing Vuoksi river near the Russian border.
"It's a hobby that really gets you hooked," added Salonen, who was one of nearly 930 people who earlier this month took part in the Finnish winter swimming championships in Imatra, some 260 kilometres (160 miles) northeast of Helsinki.
Competitors swam 25 metres (82 feet) in the river, where water temperatures dipped to just 0.2 degrees Celsius (32.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
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Eila Harju, 70, who won the silver medal in Imatra by completing her 25-metre spurt in 28.58 seconds, said she at least had no intention of giving up and had her eye set on the world championships in Slovenia next year.
"I am very competitive. I aimed for silver in the competition and I got it," she told AFP with a broad smile.
Her competitive nature aside, Harju insisted winning was not everything and pointed out that she did not follow a strict training programme and only took an icy swim a few times a week.
"Winter swimming makes me feel good and social interaction with other swimmers is very important too," she said.