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Help PARA Ice Swimmer to compete at the International Ice Swimming Association’s 6th World Championship in Molveno, Italy.

  • Thank You

      22 January 2025
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    The Molveno Swimming campaign has wrapped up, and I want to extend a huge thank you to all my supporters—without you, this adventure wouldn’t have been possible. A special shout-out to Dean and Jeff—your generous backing kept me afloat (pun intended) and was incredibly appreciated!

    Now, for the results breakdown:

    • 1000m: Gold 🥇 (Turns out I like long swims!)

    • 500m: Gold 🥇 (Apparently, medium swims too!)

    • 250m: Silver 🥈 (The sprint specialists showed up!)

    • 100m: Bronze 🥉 (Blink, and you’d have missed me.)

    • 50m: 5th place (Too much time waving at the crowd, clearly.)

    The journey home kicks off tonight, and I’ll be back in Dunedin by Friday—ready for normal life, warmer swims, and the occasional stingray encounter.

    For more details about the week’s adventures, check out my daily posts on Facebook. Thanks again to everyone who made this incredible experience possible!

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  • Registration and Medical Day! The joys of being poked, prodded, and judged for being too stressed.

      14 January 2025
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    To compete in ice swimming, we need to jump through a few medical hoops. First, our GP signs off on an ECG and a full medical before the event. Then, at the event, the medical team checks our blood pressure, pulse, and GP-approved paperwork. No pressure, right? Wrong. If your blood pressure is too high, you’re out. Cue the collective panic. At our Alexandra event, a bunch of us initially clocked in with high readings—we blame the excitement or maybe the coffee. So, today, nerves were running high.

    Let’s rewind to the morning. Bright and early, our team set off from the accommodation to the Ice Village for registration and medicals. Registration was quick (shockingly), but the medicals were another story. Picture one doctor assigned to handle the vitals and paperwork for 750 swimmers. It was a scene. Thankfully, our Team Doctor, Karen, stepped in like a superhero with a stethoscope and saved us from spending the entire day in line.

    Now, here’s a fun fact: I’m competing as a para swimmer, thanks to my neurological hereditary condition, CMT1A, and my S10 physical disability classification. This morning, the medics insisted I skip the queue—a perk I reluctantly accepted after some protesting. It freed me up to sneak in a cheeky swim in the lake.

    At the lake, I bumped into Conor O’Connor from Ireland. Side note: the team has strict instructions to steer clear of the Irish. Why?

    For the rest of this update and many more, please check out my Facebook.

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  • Hello English Weather ❄️

      5 January 2025
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    The English weather has finally made its grand entrance - grey skies and an air temperature of -1°C. I was beginning to worry! Too much sunshine and blue skies could seriously challenge the identity of the British Isles. After all, we can’t all be Kiwis!

    This morning, I had my third “training” swim at The Falcon in an invigorating 3.7°C water. I’m starting to feel more adjusted to the icy conditions… though “comfortable” definitely isn’t the right word. Let’s go with “bearable.” I know - it’s ridiculous what we’re doing. And yes, we’re probably not entirely sane. But speaking of “we,” this morning’s session had at least 10 swimmers in the first wave, proving there’s plenty of “crazy” to go around.

    The Falcon operates six sessions a day, with swimmers paying £9 per swim or dip. A professional lifeguard/host is always on duty, ensuring safety and support for everyone taking the plunge.

    Mark and Sue, my incredibly kind and hospitable host family, drove me to the lake this morning. I’m so grateful for their warmth and generosity - I’ll have a lot of goodwill to pay forward when I’m back home.

    After the swim, we headed to The Boathouse Café for breakfast - or lunch in my case, as jet lag had me wide awake since 3 a.m.

    The rest of the Frozen Ferns, New Zealand’s ice swimming team, are arriving today. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with my swimming family and sharing the madness!

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  • Morning Swim at The Falcon, Castle Ashby, UK - Swim 2

      4 January 2025
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    ‘Another day, another fifty shades of grey,’ as the English like to say. Yet since I arrived, it’s been nothing but sunshine and blue skies. Are the English being unfair to Mother Nature, or is there some truth to their reputation? Time will tell. I’ll keep you updated! There’s even talk of snow this weekend, which could make for some fantastic photo opportunities.

    Today marked my second swim at The Falcon, and I’m pleased to report it felt much easier than yesterday, despite the water temperature dropping to a chilly 4.8 degrees. A huge thank you to the incredibly hospitable locals who’ve gone out of their way to make me feel so welcome. I’m truly grateful!

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  • The Journey into the Ice Begins ❄️

      31 December 2024
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    And so the journey to the Ice Swimming International Champs in Molveno, Italy begins! Starting with - a two-hour flight from Dunedin to Auckland. Tonight, I board a 17-hour flight to Dubai, followed by another 8-hour leg to Birmingham, UK.

    From there, the New Zealand Ice Swimming Team (the Frozen Ferns) will head to The Falcon, a freezing open water swimming venue at Castle Ashby in Northampton, for a cold water training camp.

    A huge thank you to my incredible MeLovely (Dee), my kids (Ewan & Anja), my amazing Dunedin swimming community, and all my Aussie and Kiwi supporters. Your support has made this journey possible. I wouldn’t be here without you!

    Let the adventure, and the fun, begin!

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  • Jellie Park Pool, Christchurch - 11 sleeps to go

      20 December 2024
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    This weekend, the Lambrechts family is in Christchurch, and as always, I seized the chance for a swim at the local pool. Jellie Park’s outdoor 50m pool is probably the closest match to the Molveno 50m pool I’ll be competing in—though the air and water temperatures couldn’t be more different! Today, the pool was a lovely 22 degrees, making it an enjoyable session. It was also fantastic to swim in a proper 50m pool again. Just 11 sleeps to go before I head to Europe! Thank you once more for your incredible support on this crazy, exciting adventure!

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  • Preparing for Molveno

      7 December 2024
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    My new Everest Plunge arrived last weekend, and after a bit of trial and error with the water hoses, I had my first cold plunge on Tuesday.

    The 4-degree water was an absolute shock to the system—took my breath away and left my hands completely numb. I definitely had a “What the heck am I doing?” moment. Safe to say, I was feeling a bit chilled at work that day (pun intended!).

    Since then, I’ve been gradually increasing my time in the tub by a minute each day. Today (Saturday), I managed 8 minutes! For the first half, I go full immersion with my face in the water, breathing through a snorkel—hence the red face in the photo.

    It’s starting to get slightly easier… though I’ll probably disagree tomorrow when I have to do it all over again!

    In addition to the cold plunges, I’ve been doing a lot of swimming, and I’m incredibly grateful for the amazing swimming community here in Dunedin for their ongoing support.

    A huge thank you to my wonderful wife, Dee, for standing by me on this crazy adventure. Love you!

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  • Winter is Coming ❄️

      25 November 2024
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    Molveno, Italy - The venue for the international ice swimming champs where I will represent New Zealand (Frozen Ferns) as a para swimmer. I will participate in the 1km, 500m, 250m, 100m and 50m freestyle events over 5 days. My first race will be on Tuesday, the 14th of January. The water temperature is already 3.5 degrees. Winter is Coming ❄️.

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  • Beautiful Queenstown Swim

      11 November 2024

    Over the weekend I was fortunate to enjoy a couple of swims in Queenstown. Saturday morning I swam at Kelvin Beach, a beautiful swim over the TSS Earnslaw maintenance tracks past the Queenstown Yacht Club. Sunday morning I swam at Park Street towards the Queenstown Bay beacon. The water was sparkling clear, and a cold and crisp 11 degrees. Thank you Laura and Sam for joining me on Sunday. I enjoyed sharing the experience with you.

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  • Heartfelt thank you for your support

      25 October 2024
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    A heartfelt thank you to all my amazing supporters! Your generosity has made it possible for me to compete at the Ice Swimming International Championships. A special shoutout to Jeff from Australia for helping me raise $3,000 - I've adjusted my Givealittle target accordingly.

    As I get older, I find myself reflecting more on what really matters in life, and one word comes to mind: relationships. I'm deeply grateful to my wonderful wife, adult children, family, and friends for your love and support.

    The attached photo is from last summer when our swim group took on a stunning 2km swim across Sawyers Bay in the Otago Harbour. We started at Port Chalmers School and swam across and back - an incredible experience in clear waters where I’ve often spotted stingrays. In the photo, you can see Captain Blaire on lookout with first mate Rosie at the helm on the paddleboard. What a beautiful memory!

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    • 25/10/2024 by Dee

      Love you my amazing husband ❤️ You are inspiring. So proud of you 🥰

  • Swimming in Lake Te Anau

      21 October 2024
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    Last weekend, my lovely wife Dee (meLovely) and I had the pleasure of visiting my son in Te Anau. Ewan works for RealNZ in Milford Sound, and it was wonderful to see how well he is doing.

    As always, I took the opportunity to enjoy a couple of swims in the stunning Lake Te Anau. According to Google, Lake Te Anau is located in the southwestern corner of New Zealand's South Island. The lake spans an impressive 344 km², making it the second-largest lake by surface area in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island. It is also the second-largest lake in Australasia by freshwater volume.

    During my swim from the Yacht Club to the Seaplane moorings, a round trip of about 2km, I recorded a minimum water temperature of 12 degrees on Saturday afternoon. Remarkably, I encountered over 10 eels during that swim. Experiencing the thrill of seeing so many eels on Saturday motivated me (not!) to wake up early on Sunday for another swim. This time, the water temperature was a chilly 10 degrees, and I only saw one eel. Perhaps this solitary eel 'got the worm'!

    Both swims were exhilarating. A big thank you to Fabienne for capturing the on-water photo from her kayak. I am already looking forward to my next visit to Te Anau.

    Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement!

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  • St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool

      16 October 2024
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    St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool in Dunedin has just reopened for the summer season, and after recovering from a chest infection, I had my first swim there in 10 days. This heated outdoor pool is set in a stunning, scenic location and is the perfect place to do some laps. If you’re ever in Dunedin, make sure to check it out!

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  • Swimming Lake Wakatipu - Queenstown

      16 September 2024
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    Swimming Lake Wakatipu is breathtaking! There is always a good spot for any conditions. My favourite place is Kelvin Beach at Kelvin Heights. Swimming over the TSS Earnslaw maintenance slip into the narrows and following the drop is hypnotic.

    The swim lane at the Scouts Hut in Frankton is the home of the Southern Lakes Swimming Club (SLSC). Not the most inspiring swim, but it is the SLSC’ers home. Jacks Point Beach is the perfect venue when the westerly is blowing. On a calm day this place feels like Pandora – The World of Avatar.

    Last weekend I swam at Park Street. If you are staying in town, this is the place to swim from. Find the beach where the yellow catamaran is parked and start here, swim around the Queenstown Gardens to the Queenstown Bay Beacon and return. Beautiful swim. You will be swimming over and through rocky areas with the abyss plunging to 380m to the south. Beautifull, sandy and grassy landscapes.

    I swam three times – Twice on Saturday and Sunday morning. The occasion – Work Accounting Conference. Park Street is a short, steep downhill walk from the Millennium Hotel. Last Friday was a snow day so the mountains were packed with icing, Saturday beautiful sunny and Sunday raining. The air temperature was cold, close to freezing and water temperature 9 degrees.

    Walking up the steep hill with the ‘afterdrop’ possessing me was challenging. I had to stop and catch my breath which gave me the opportunity to once again enjoy the beauty around me.

    Breathtaking!

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    • 17/09/2024 by Dee

      Good read my love 🥰

    • 17/09/2024 by Anja

      Proud of you Dad <3

    • 18/09/2024 by Francois Lambrechts

      Thank you for your encouraging messages. Much appreciated ❤️.

  • Summer is Coming

      12 September 2024
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    Summer means longer days and the opportunity to swim after work in the Otago Harbour. Summer also means increasing water temperature which allows for longer swims. The attached picture of Cindy and I was taken Wednesday by Gerardo. We swam about 1.4km. Water temperature 9 degrees.

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    • 17/09/2024 by Dee

      Keep up the hard work my love 😍

    • 17/09/2024 by Anja

      Go get em! <3

    • 18/09/2024 by Francois Lambrechts

      Thank you for your encouraging messages. Much appreciated ❤️.

  • Cold Water Swimming Community in Dunedin

      25 August 2024
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    We have a great cold water swimming community in Dunedin. For many, swimming through the winter months are unthinkable but for those brave (perhaps crazy) enough to dive (actually walk) in it is a great source of wellbeing. No matter your choice of attire - wetsuit, skin, flippers, etc., it’s all about the person challenge. You do you!

    Swimming in 6 to 8 degrees celsius water in winter is very much doable, but you have to plan. Always wise to swim with others, stay close to the exit point, have lots of warm clothes ready and build up the time in the water. Know what the tide is doing and if any change in the weather is predicted.

    Winter swimming is not about distance; it is about time spent in the water. Know your numbers. Know what water temperature to expect and what it means for your swim time.

    Close bonds are formed through sharing the experience and the dopamine high. The group becomes your tribe. We swim Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30am at the Macandrew Bay Boating Club. If you find yourself in Dunedin, come and join us. It will change your life!

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    • 17/09/2024 by Dee

      So proud of this amazing group of people 🤗

    • 17/09/2024 by Anja

      Good job Dad <3

    • 18/09/2024 by Francois Lambrechts

      Thank you for your encouraging messages. Much appreciated ❤️.

  • NZ Ice Swimming Champs, Alexandra - July 2024

      17 August 2024

    The video shows the importance of the support crew in dressing and warming up the frozen bodies. I swam 1km in 19 minutes, 21 seconds in 2.1 degrees water. Thank you to Duncan and Jim for dressing me (and the videos) and to Cindy for the video interview.

    Thank you to Susan, Roger and the rest of the organising team (IISA NZ) for a world class event. Most important, thank you to the medical team (doctors and nurses) for safely warming us up. Big thank you to my family for all your encouragement and support. Love you Dee ❤️❤️❤️.

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    • 17/09/2024 by Dee

      We are so proud of you my love ❤️

    • 17/09/2024 by Anja

      Good job Dad!! <3

    • 18/09/2024 by Francois Lambrechts

      Thank you for your encouraging messages. Much appreciated ❤️.