Premiere: We are hosting the European Ice Swimming Championship

Unusual sports competitions are on the rise, attracting interest from both athletes and the public. Over 300 swimmers from 27 countries will participate in the European Ice Swimming Championship, taking place for the first time in history in Romania, in Oradea, from February 1 to 4. The event will include legendary figures in this extreme sport, and Romania's team will be led by Paul Georgescu, a world champion in the 500-meter event, who played a decisive role in the growth of this sport in Romania. According to the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Oradea and the Region (APTOR), the competition will be held in the outdoor Olympic pool in Brătianu Park. The first-ever European Ice Swimming Championship in history is organized by the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA), the Ice Swimming and Open Water Sports Association, in partnership with the Municipality of Oradea, the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Oradea and the Region (Visit Oradea), and CSM Oradea. The opening ceremony will take place on the evening of February 1, along with the parade of delegations from the 27 participating countries.

Paul Georgescu, the president of the Ice Swimming and Open Water Sports Association, stated: "We want this major sporting event to be a true spectacle, and we expect as many people as possible at the pool to become familiar with the beauty of this extreme sport that demands a lot. Entry will be free. The competition will take place on February 2, 3, and 4. In the morning, between 9 am and 1 pm, the heats will be held, and the swimmers with the top 8 times will compete for the podium in the evening session, from 4:30 pm to 6 pm. I expect the water temperature to be between 2 and 4 degrees Celsius. Athletes will have two tubs and a sauna for recovery."

The European Ice Swimming Championship will include classic swimming events, starting from short 50-meter races in the four known strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly), 100 meters in the four strokes, 250 meters freestyle, 500 meters freestyle, and 1,000 meters freestyle. "Oradea is one of the most beautiful cities in Romania, and the infrastructure allows us to have perfect conditions: two large hotels and a boutique hotel will host around 1000 people, including 320 swimmers. In terms of organization, the biggest advantage is the outdoor pool, which is very close to the covered one, where we will organize the "Ice Village,' the place where competitors will prepare for the events," said Paul Georgescu. Romania has a competitive team consisting of 34 professional swimmers (from Dinamo, Steaua, Delfinul Bucharest, Universitatea Cluj) and amateurs.

"I believe we have a valuable team in all styles, and we aim to win more medals than at the World Championship in France last year (16 medals - 3 gold, 7 silver, and 3 bronze)," added Paul Georgescu. Among the "legends' of ice swimming who will be present in Oradea are Petar Stoychev from Bulgaria, with four appearances at the Olympic Games, world and European champion in the 25 km event, one of the most respected endurance swimmers globally, with dozens of victories in open water and ice competitions; and Christof Wandratsch from Germany, the first world champion in the history of ice swimming and European champion in the 25 km event, one of the fastest people in history to cross the English Channel: 7 hours and 3 minutes.