Phil White reported that 164 winter swimmers have registered for the Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival on February 23th – 25th 2024. “There is room for just 21 more. Registration closes on February 1st at 5 pm. This is a last call.

This will be our 10th annual winter swim, if you count our Virtual Swim in 2021, during the pandemic. In 2014, we posted the picture of the ice saw on Facebook with the caption, ‘Anybody want to go swimming?’ 41 winter swimmers showed up that first year in 2015. The rest is history and the beginning of a wonder-filled journey, with a steadily growing society of winter swimmers. Some say that for the few days of the Festival, Newport is the happiest place on the planet.”

The Current Roster as of December 30th 2023 and the Festival’s 2024 Schedule of Events in the 25m pool carved out of the frozen Lake Memphremagog in Newport, Vermont, near the Canadian border.

Kellie Latimer, shown above at the 2023 Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival, is a regular multiple winner in various events.

The swim is organized by the Memphremagog Winter Swimming Society operating under the umbrella of Kingdom Games. Water temperatures hovered last year around 30ºF (-1.1ºC). The Organizing Committee consists of Charlotte Brynn, Janet Manning, Greg O’Connor, Elaine Kornbau Howley, Sarah Watson, Amanda Hunt, Rena Demeo, Helen Lin, and Phil White. Ice cutters include Michael Booth and Josh McCoy.

© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture past the shoreline“