On November 21st, the first annual Nage Nordic winter swimming event was successfully held in the St. Lawrence River in Levis, Quebec, Canada.

The organizers, led by Gerry Fassett and Michel Gagne [shown above], both of Levis, had participated in the Halloween Vampire Swim in Newport, Vermont with temperatures of 7.2ºC or 45ºF, inspiring them to organize a similarly cold water swimming event in their native Quebec.

“For the 36 people who swam The Chilies in the 4.4ºC or 40ºF water in 25-meter or 50-meter distances, this was their first swim in very cold water and they were nervous going in. But they came out happy, invigorated, and looking forward to future cold water swims,” said Phil White. “All who participated qualified for the Second Annual Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival which will be held on March 5th and 6th 2016 with distances of 25, 50, 100, and 200 meters.”

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