Ger Kennedy (Ireland, 55, IISA bio here, @gerkennedy_swimmer) is known as the Ice Sherpa, Dr. Ice, and King Walrus.for his coaching and assistance of many Ice Miles in the wildness around the world (including Polar Ice Miles).
Today in the heats at the IISA 6th World Championship in Molveno, Italy, he finished the 1000m freestyle in 22:44.35.
He was nearly in the 1.8°C water twice as long as the winner Andreas Waschburger who finished in 11:43.18.
But Kennedy’s acclimatization to the cold and ice, as one of the three people to achieve the Ice Sevens (along with American pioneer Jaimie Monahan and British adventurer Kate Steels, is off the charts.
He described his rewarming experience in the 50m pool after finishing the Ice Kilometer, “For me as a wild ice swimmer, the confinement of a pool Is strange, but I accepted my friend the black line and the water temperature. There was a funny moment after my swim. I went to recovery as instructed by medical and event managers. As I stood there drinking tea, most of the swimmers were in distress. The medical ask me did I swim as they did not believe me. They even felt my togs to see if they were wet as I had no rattles…so they dismissed me to sauna.”
Watch the live coverage of the IISA 6th World Championship on Daily Motion here, organized by Ice Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer Paolo Chiarino (@paolochiarino
© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“
A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.