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Arleen González Swims from the High Altitude of Mexico City to the Low Temperature of the Arctic

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Arleen González Pérez (45, Mexico, MSF bio here, IISA bio here) trains in a small swimming pool in Mexico City in an unusual manner. But she needed to get accustomed to the cold for her dream to come true.

Especially when her dream swim was in the Arctic Circle.

For years, González tied a rope to herself so she could swim in place – in the middle of 1.5 tons of ice that would bring her pool water temperature below 5°C in the thn air of Mexico City. Her isolated cold water training was always demanding, mentally and physically, and completely done in quiet and without fanfare. It was just her and the cold in her early morning training sessions. She purposefully endured extreme conditions that was unlike anything available to her within the borders of Mexico.

González was training for a series of ice swims in the Arctic under the guidance of Austrian ice swimming coach and expedition leader Gerald Daringer (48, Austria, IISA bio here, @daringer.gerald, @aqua_n_ice). The event was called the AQUA and ICE – Arctic Experience Swims between July 16th and 22nd.

González had completed crossings of the Catalina Channel, English Channel, North Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Loch Ness, Lake Geneva (in 31 hours 41 minutes), and the Strait of Magellan in 4.8°C water as well as two 20 Bridges Swims around Manhattan Island, the SCAR Swim in Arizona, and Reto Acapulco and Por Ellas in Mexico. She has certainly pushed herself to the extreme before.

But the Arctic Experience Swims were different.

When González heard about Daringer’s Arctic Experience 2016 Longyearbyen, Svalbard in Norway, she set her sights on something completely different. She initially wanted to swim more than two kilometers in polar water. But Daringer encouraged her to think beyond her goal and aim for the women’s world record for the longest Polar Ice Swim?

To date, González had completed a 22:06 Ice Kilometer in 0.0°C water and a 34:57 Ice Mile in Morocco in 3.9°C water in 2023, and a 18:49 Ice Kilometer in 1.0°C water in Port Lockroy, Antarctica in 2024. So she has plenty of experience, but she leaned on Daringer for his Arctic know-how with AQUA and ICE that provided the requisite planning, qualification, logistics, and safety.

Before attempting her Polar Ice Mile, González gradually upped her game in the ice, completing three qualification swims before she set two Guinness World Records on the last day of the Arctic Experience Swims.

  • On July 17th, she swam 600 meters in 11:12 in the 4.9°C water of Borebukta, Svalbard.
  • The next day on July 18th, she swam nearly twice as long, a 1.1 km swim in 20:43 in 4.73°C water.
  • She rested for 3 days and then did your Polar Ice Mile qualification on July 21st. In Borebukta, she completed a 1.71 km swim in 4.53°C water, qualifying her for the extreme swim attempt.
  • The next day on July 22nd, she swam 3.1 km in the 4.27°C water in 58:12

During the week, Daringer investigated different fjords around Svalbard to identify suitable conditions. His AQUA and Ice team boated to various remote locations and assessed the water temperature, environment, and necessary logistics before deciding upon Ekmanfjorden that is surrounded by glaciers and drifting ice.

On July 22nd, González was as prepared as she could be for her 3.1 km swim in an average water temperature of 4.27°C in Ekmanfjorden, Svalbard.

Off the rib she went, swimming steadily and quickly, ultimately completing the swim in 58 minutes 12 seconds at 78.67° North. Her 3.1 km swim exceeded the existing Polar Ice Mile women’s record of 2.6 km set by Maria Kowalczyk (39, Poland, IISA bio here) in 55 minutes 47 minutes in March 2026 in Poland. It was González’ second Guinness World Record as she also set the Most northerly ice swim by a female swimmer covering at least 1 kilometer at 78.67° North.

Daringer served as the Arctic Experience Swims event director, IISA official, referee, and observer, while Christina Ute Neubauer (57, Germany, IISA bio here) served as the medical officer.

Arctic Experience Swims Results on July 17th

Arctic Experience Swims Results on July 17th

Arctic Experience Swims Results on July 18th

  • Arleen González (45, Mexico) 1.1 km in 20:14.53 in 4.73°C water on 18 July 2026
  • Gerald Daringer (50, Austria) 1.1 km in 19:20.0 in 4.73°C water on 18 July 2026

Arctic Experience Swims Results on July 21st

Arctic Experience Swims Results on July 22nd

Daringer explains, “Arleen began with a small swimming pool, a rope, determination – and tons of ice. Years later, she found herself swimming through 4.27°C seawater between glaciers at 78.67° North. Extraordinary achievements rarely happen by accident; they are built through preparation. They require a clear goal, the right environment, technical expertise, mental strength and a team capable of managing the details when conditions become extreme. There is no room for improvised decisions. AQUA and ICE was responsible for the overall organization and expedition framework. Christina Ute Neubauer supported the project as our Medical Officer, while the expedition team handled the complex maritime logistics and documentation.

The real story behind Arleen’s new records was that a swimmer from Mexico City imagined herself swimming in the Arctic. We helped turn that vision into a structured project. It began in her imagination and became reality through preparation, courage, teamwork.“

For more information, visit www.gerald-daringer.at or @aqua_n_ice.

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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

World Open Water Swimming Federation, an exclusively human-powered project

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