PICTURE THE SCENE: ANOTHER HARD DAY AT WORK COMES TO AN END, IT’S TIME TO RELAX AND LET THE STRESSES OF THE JOB DRIFT AWAY. Dinner with friends? Drinks? Perhaps a workout in the gym or maybe just curl up in front of the TV. How many of us would choose to strip off and lower our shivering bodies into a freshly carved ice hole? If you’re living in Finland, the answer is more and more.
It’s estimated that one in five Finns have taken the plunge and engaged in Avantouinti—or ice swimming—a time-honoured Finnish winter tradition, that to outsiders, at least, borders on the insane. The concept is simple; wait for the unforgiving cold snap of the Nordic winter to kick-in around this month, venture out to a frozen lake, cut a hole, drop a ladder, remove clothing and climb on in!
The effect is not so much an attack on the senses as a full-blown physical shock to the system. The icy waters envelop the swimmer up to the neck, with only the head remaining above the surface. Most people last for 30 seconds, the hardiest up to two minutes. Any longer and the risk of paralysis and heart failure is a real possibility. Total submersion in such conditions is frowned upon and could easily have dire consequences—imagine an ice-cream headache but a million times worse.
Why anyone would want to dunk themselves fully under the icy depths remains as much a mystery as the motivation to swim in a frozen pool in the first place. Yet ice-swimming clubs in Helsinki are reporting record attendance figures, operating a members-only policy to try and control the swelling numbers of willing participants.
Antti Alanko is the chairman of HSS Talviuinti, the oldest and most prestigious ice-swimming club in Finland. The organisation first opened its doors in 1887 and currently has over 600 members on the books—with a waiting list for hopeful applicants.
“The sport has become very popular—so much so there is a lack of public places to go,” he shivers. “It’s true that you only need a hole in the ice, but that hole needs to be maintained and not many people want to go and take an axe and start digging.”
Although perhaps not fans of DIY, ice swimmers are certainly an enthusiastic bunch. “During the season most members will swim once a day, but many go twice—after work is the most popular time,” adds Alanko.
Although hard medical evidence remains thinner on the ground than the ice-encrusted frozen lakes, most winter swimmers believe that exposing the body to extreme changes in temperature (some even have a sauna before taking to the water), enhances physical wellbeing. High and low blood-pressure, pulmonary tuberculosis, pancreatic diabetes, chronic gastrointestinal diseases—the list of ailments that can apparently be relieved by a very, very cold bath goes on and on. Even inflammation of the genitals can be helped by a sub-zero dip—which stands to reason when you think about it.
“Our members believe that winter swimming has excellent health benefits,” enthuses Alanko. “Especially resistance to colds and flu. It toughens you up and makes the body stronger. But not in a male bravado way with guys trying to outdo each other. On the contrary, ice swimming is most popular with female members aged between 30 and 55.”
Like Antti Alanko, Miina Salminen, a petite 30-year-old Helsinki-based communications executive, was introduced to ice swimming by her father. “I wouldn’t say I enjoy it as such, I mean people may not enjoy the sensation of a cold shower, but they certainly find it invigorating. I try and use natural products for health and beauty whenever possible and I find ice swimming works wonders for my skin; plus it’s a great way to recharge the batteries before a night on the town!”
For tourists on short stays in Helsinki, the chance to literally freeze in supervised ice holes may be a long-shot. But for those wanting to experience what it at least partially feels like, Alanko recommends searching out one of the many cold pools dotted around the city in the larger hotels.
Ice swimming placs in Helsinki
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