West Kelowna
Canada's first ice swimmer
There was a polar bear sighting in West Kelowna this morning.
His name is Paul Duffield and he became Canada’s first Ice Swimmer when he completed a one-mile swim at the Gellatley Bay Aquatic Park on Okanagan Lake.
Emerging from the lake triumphant but cold, he quickly began toweling off as his wife and friends tried to warm him up and keep the blood circulating.
The rules stipulate that the swim must be completed in water with a temperature colder than five degrees Celsius, and the swimmer can only wear a cap and suit (no wetsuit).
Now, Duffield must officially apply for membership to the International Ice Swimming Association and submit documentation from the swim for official verification, which includes a medical, witness statements, as well as swim details with video or photography evidence.
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