Building a competitive pool takes years – of planning, designing, and then constructing. Pools are costly to build and then to properly maintain.
But not in the ice swimming world.
In the case of Seth Baetzold (USA, 29, MSF bio here), Nick Tamble, Casey McGrath, and Mike Miller, it took 14 weeks of planning and about 8 hours of carving, led by Todd Thorsen, a rectangular 25-meter chunk of ice out of Lake Johana in Arden Hills, Minnesota.
The new pool hosted the inaugural Minnesota Ice Swim and Plunge on February 22nd.
Two-time Olympic medalist Cody Miller (USA, 33, @codymiller, @CodyMillerAdventures) headlined the event that offered 25m, 50m, and 100m races in 3.3°C (38.1°F) water. Merle Liivand (Estonia, 33, IISA bio here) from Florida and Ice Triple Crowner JB Lanza (USA, 40, IISA bio here) from Massachusetts were also established stars at the event.
The event has its origins when Tamble first carved a hole in the ice in 2020. Ice dipping gradually grew and now hundreds of ice dippers head to the ice of Lake Johana each week during the winter.
Ben Hovland of MPR News captured Cody Miller (on left) competing with Ivan Pancic (USA, 51, IISA bio here) in the ice.
For more information, visit mniceswim.com or email info@mniceswim.com.
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