Colin Hill is a man who lives on the edge, constantly pushing himself where very few have ventured.

In a recent television filming of extreme sports high in the Austrian Alps, Hill faced danger swimming in extremely low temperatures alone in a lake without the benefit of escorts. On the face of it, danger lurked the moment he walked in the lake and headed to the distant shore.

But Hill, like many of his extreme swimming colleagues throughout Great Britain, is very well-prepared and cold-water acclimatization is his specialty. The danger is still present, but through his own physiological and psychological preparation, the risks have come way down and the cold water environment is where he is most comfortable.

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