The cold is expanding – as are the dreams of para swimmers.

Together with Gerald Daringer of Austria, Nicola Doran from Belfast, Ireland achieved the Ice Triple Crown by completing one Southern Ice Mile in either Africa, Oceania, Polar Antarctica, or South America, one Northern Ice Mile in either Asia, Europe, North America, or the Polar North, and one Ice Kilometer at an IISA World Championship or a National Championship in a pool, all in water at or below 5.0°C.

She completed his remaining high-altitude Southern Ice Mile in Lake Aguelman Sidi Ali, Khenifry in Morocco in 4.57°C water and -0.90°C air temperatures at 2,080m in 31 minutes 58 seconds.

The 50-year-old para swimmer writes, “The beauty of the Ice Triple Crown are the memories made, friendships, understanding and respecting different cultures in different locations and learning. This trip was the most magical one, high up in the Middle Atlas, in Morocco.

Hôtel SPA Xaluca Aguelmame Sidi Ali was the most beautiful place and the staff couldn’t have been kinder. To be in such luxurious and beautiful surroundings was breathtaking. The Ice Mile was our goal, but the experience will be the lasting memory.

We were welcomed into a traditional home and broke bread with an Amizagh family. We learnt about the hardships that this community is facing, and the biggest one….is water.

Global warming has made a huge impact in this area and people are forced to travel further to survive. So as we were lucky enough to have found the temperature needed for our ice mile..it also put everything into perspective. This nomadic community are facing far bigger struggles, but still with warmth and a smile.“

Doran – who has a loss of power in her left leg and left arm – accomplished two firsts: she became the world’s first para swimmer and the first Irish female to complete the Ice Triple Crown. She and Daringer join a small, but growing, global list of highly accomplished ice swimmers who are pushing the boundaries – and imaginations – of open water swimmers worldwide:

Ice Triple Crown List

1. Ram Barkai (South Africa, 66) achieved 20 March 2015
2. Kieron Palframan (South Africa, 50) achieved 20 March 2015
3. Ryan Stramrood (South Africa, 50) achieved 20 March 2015
4. Jaimie Monahan (USA, 44) achieved 13 Feb 2017
5. Kate Steels (Great Britain, 54) achieved 15 December 2017
6. Ger Kennedy (Ireland, 54) achieved 6 January 2018
7. Shaun Hales (Great Britain, 38) achieved 18 February 2018
8. Fergil Hesterman (Netherlands, 30) achieved 16 June 2018
9. Cath Pendleton (Great Britain, 52) achieved 31 January 2020
10. Paul Eugen Dorin Georgescu (Romania, 45) achieved 22 February 2020
11. Hassan Baraka (Morocco, 37) achieved 6 February 2022
12. Ailén Lascano Micaz (Argentina, 33) achieved 23 January 2023
13. Marion Joffle (France, 25) achieved 17 February 2023
14. JB Lanza (USA, 39) achieved on 22 January 2024
15. Gerald George (USA, 65) achieved on 9 February 2024
16. Gerald Daringer (Austria, 47) achieved on 25 February 2024
17. Nicola Doran (Ireland, 50) achieved on 25 February 2024

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