Live from the European Ice Swimming Championships in Molveno
- Deniz Kayadelen
- 3 hours ago
- 1 min read
Hello from Molveno — Race Week Has Begun
I’m writing this from Molveno, surrounded by mountains, ice, and an incredible energy that only championship week brings.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll be racing at the European Ice Swimming Championships — an event that continues to grow beyond anything we imagined in its early days.
This year:
511 swimmers
32 countries
Water temperature: under 5°C
Attendance in Molveno is 60% higher than at the very first European Championships in Oradea
Ice swimming is no longer a niche. It’s a movement.
My Race Schedule
If you’d like to follow along, here’s when I’ll be racing:
Tuesday, Feb 3 – 09:30 → 100m Butterfly
Wednesday, Feb 4 – 10:25 → 250m Freestyle
Thursday, Feb 5 – 11:30 → 50m Butterfly
Saturday, Feb 7 – 09:30 → 100m Freestyle
More Than an Ice Swimming Race
Every time I step into ice water, I’m reminded that performance is never just about strength or discipline.
It’s about presence.
About trust.
About choosing to stay open when every instinct says “get out.”
I recently spoke about this on my podcast, Out of Comfort Zone, sharing reflections on fear, flow, and what the ice continues to teach me — not just as an athlete, but as a human.
You can watch/listen to the episode here
The ice has a way of stripping things down to what truly matters. And in that simplicity, something powerful opens up.
❄️ See you in the ice — and stay warm! ❄️
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