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Ice Swimming World Championships in Bled: our team in Slovenia
An alpine lake, freezing water and the best ice swimmers in the world. At the World Championships in Bled, Christof Wandratsch and Alisa Fatum swam for Addicted To Nature – and came home with plenty of gold medals.
Bled, capital of ice swimming
Lake Bled in Slovenia is famous for its little island church and the castle on the cliff. In 2020 it also became the stage for the Ice Swimming World Championships: athletes from all over the world, a pool set up in the lake and water close to zero.
Christof Wandratsch and Alisa Fatum swam for Addicted To Nature. And they won big: several gold medals, to the delight of our whole team.
Watch more on our YouTube channel.
Who are Christof and Alisa
Christof Wandratsch is one of the best-known names in open-water and cold-water swimming in Germany. With him we also lived one of our craziest adventures: swimming 10 km in the open sea from Finale di Pollina to Cefalù. Alisa Fatum is part of the ice swimming community we meet at races every winter – and who inspire us every time.
What an ice swimming race is like
- Water below 5 °C: the limit for a race to count as ice swimming.
- Short and long distances: from 50 metres up to a kilometre for the best prepared.
- Swimsuit, cap and goggles: no wetsuit. You face the cold as it is.
- Afterwards: you get out, dry off and warm up calmly, under medical supervision.
Want to find out if it’s for you? Read our guide on how to start ice swimming safely.
From the World Championships to the Zollhaus Open
Every year we bring the spirit of Bled to Germany, to the Zollhaus Open – the German Ice Swimming Championships in the forest lake next to the Landhotel Altes Zollhaus. The next edition is on 19–20 February 2027: all the information and registration are on the Zollhaus Open 2027 page.
From our shop
Zollhaus Open swim cap – colour print
- Silicone, midnight blue
- Colour print Ice Swimming – Zollhaus Open
- Free shipping
Ice bathing at the Zollhaus
Try it with us at the Landhotel Altes Zollhaus
Our guided ice baths take place at the Landhotel Altes Zollhaus in Germany’s Ore Mountains: in the forest lake next to the hotel or in an ice-cold tub.
- Wim Hof Method weekends with certified instructors
- Breathing, ice baths and mindset
- Four saunas to warm up afterwards
Frequently asked questions
Where were the 2020 Ice Swimming World Championships held?
In Bled, Slovenia, in the alpine lake famous for its island and castle.
Who swam for Addicted To Nature in Bled?
Christof Wandratsch and Alisa Fatum, who won several gold medals.
What water temperature counts as ice swimming?
In competitions, ice swimming means water at 5 °C or below.
Where can I watch an ice swimming race?
At the Zollhaus Open, the German championships at the Landhotel Altes Zollhaus, on 19–20 February 2027.
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