1K swim in icewater

In 8th of January 2011, the second winter swimming festival Pirita Open 2011 was held in Pirita river, Tallinn, Estonia. About 150 winter swimmers from Estonia, Finland, Russia, Latvia and Germany gathered to swim in freezing waters of Pirita river. 25m pool with 2 lanes was cut in almost 60cm-thick ice. The weather was relatively mild with -1C air temperature and slight breeze but water temperature at 0,4C was just what one could expect.

The day started with show perfomance from finnish ice swimmers and continued with the first competitive event - 25m heads-up breaststroke. 112 swimmers started (and finished) this distance and the fastest man was Bruno Nopponen (16,30 seconds) and fastest woman Epp Kruusmaa (19,42 seconds).

Then there was time for fresh penguins to take their first dip ever in icewater. About 20 newcomers used the chance and the day continued with 50m freestyle competition. 64 men and women competed and the fastest were respectively Bruno Nopponen (27,67 seconds) and Kristiina Arusoo (36,55 seconds). Note that there are several differences in winter swimming compared to regular pool swimming - start is from the water, diving is prohibited at any time, flip turns are not allowed and as the bottom of the pool cannot be seen, holding the straight line during swimming is impeded.

Next event was 4x25 meter freestyle relay. Again, all the starts were from the water and according to the rules of International Winter Swimming Federation, both sexes should be represented in a team. Participation was numerous with 12 teams competing each other. The fastest finish time of 55,74 seconds was recorded for Viimsi Veeklubi Polar Bears, the team in which I was lucky to swim. The pool was fast as the result of relay team was faster than our gold medal time from last year's world championships in Bled.

I quickly changed clothes after short sauna and start preparing for the last competitive event of the day - endurance swim. Usual distance of endurance swim in winter swimming is 450 meters. As the fastest swimmers cover this distance in about 6 minutes, it is probably one of the shortest 'endurance' events in sport. However, as it takes 15-20 minutes for some winter swimming enthusiasts to cover this distance, one can say that 'endurance' is the right word here. As I have swam 450m already in 4 winter swimming seasons, I started to wonder few months ago, which distance I could cover in 15 minutes. 1000 meters seemed to be the right answer and appropriate goal for Pirita Open. So keeping this in mind, I prepared myself in preceding months and weeks by swimming couple of endurance swims of 200-600m every week.

I warmed myself thoroughly in sauna and dressed warmly. I wanted my whole body from toes to fingers to be warm before entering 0 degree water. Head was protected from the cold by 2 swimming caps and slicone earplugs. Meanwhile, Toomas Haggi posted fast time of 6 minutes and 21 seconds 2 heats before my swim. So I had 2 goals now - to swim 450 meters under 6.20 and to finish 1000 meters.
 9 swimmers, which was pleasently many, started endurance swim. I was in the last heat and swam alone.
The start was quick and easy. Even so quick that I didn't believe my ears afterwards that I started first 100 meters in 1.08. That's rather quick for me even in warm pool with flip turns. I kept the steady pace and didn't accelerated as 450 meters approached - my primary goal was 1K here and it seemed that I'm beating Toomas Haggi's time.

Most of the people who had stayed there in the end of a long day had no idea, I was going to swim 1K, so there's little surprise for them. As I continued swimming after 450 meters, the rescuers got little confused and waved to me from the side of the pool. "Don't worry, I got everything under control", I thought. Most important was not to swim 1000 meters but to stop before hurting myself. Hands and feet got numb as time passed but that was familiar feeling and nothing alarmingly new. Body adapts to the cold quickly after the first sprint and in some moment after 10 minutes of swimming it felt like almost normal swim during an August night. In the same time, I rationally realised that the minutes I am allowed to have fun here are numbered. At 800 meters I felt still strong and reasonably quick and then it was sure, I am going to finish 1000 meters.

No need to sprint to the finish line - my last 50 meter lap was the slowest, but feeling was good and certainly I didn't reach my limit today. Finish time 14 minutes and 58 seconds was nicely just below 15 minutes. Friends hurried to help me out of the water although without direct need and I headed directly to the sauna. 
Celebrating and handshaking can wait, right now I have to take care of my core temperature. In sauna, of course I stayed in dressing room as sudden heating of a cold body can be dangerous and cause a shock. Heating up occurred through the help of blankets and warm drink. Winter swimmers, remember: drink must be sweet, not too hot and not coffee or black tea as these take water out of the body. Body temperature measured from mouth was 32C which is lower limit of mild hypothermia. Shivering was as usual after long swimming but lasted for a longer time. Probably after 30 minutes of warming I was out of the sauna.

As far as I know, it was the first 1K swim in icewater in the history of Estonian swimming. If you do know about long distance swims in cold water in Estonia or elsewhere, please let me know here or mail henrikaarma@gmail.com
Thanks for everyone who supported me during or after the swim.

Good luck, winter swimmers!
Henri Kaarma

Split times of 1000m, 50 meter splits in last column.
50         0.31   31
100       1.08   37
150       1.48   40
200       2.30   42
250       3.13   43
300       3.56   43
350       4.40   44
400       5.24   44
450       6.09   45
500       6.54   45
550       7.39   45
600       8.25   46
650       9.11   46
700       9.59   48
750     10.47   48
800     11.36   49
850     12.26   50
900     13.16   50
950     14.06   50
1000   14.58   52

photo by Tiit Mõtus.  "Take the clothes off" is unique command in winter swimming sport.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Goggles on.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Right after start.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. After 350 meters.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 5 minutes of swim, almost 400 meters.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 450 meters, no plans of stopping.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. After 450 meter turn.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Rescuers realize that this swim continues for a while.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 500 meters, half the distance.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 600 meters, a little more than half the time.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 650 meters.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 850 meters

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 900 meters

photo by Tiit Mõtus. 900 meters.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Yes, I did it!

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Yes, I can see the ladder here.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Climbing out.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. My companions were very helpful.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. More helping hands.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. Out of the sauna.

photo by Tiit Mõtus.

photo by Tiit Mõtus.

photo by Tiit Mõtus.

photo by Tiit Mõtus. I received my medal and diploma during afterparty as I was in sauna during medal ceremony :)

photo by Tiit Mõtus.

Swimming across the gulf of Finland

July 25th-26th, 2008 Porkkala (Finland) - Suurupi (Estonia)

On Friday, July 25th 2008 six Estonians undertook a long-distance open water swim across the gulf of Finland from Porkkala peninsula in Finland to Suurupi peninsula in Estonia with the total distance of 55 km (34.4 miles). The team consisted of five men and one woman. The men were Bruno Nopponen, Priit Vehm, Henri Kaarma, Toomas Haggi, and Andrus Jaamul. The ladies were represented by Kinne Tõnnison. The swimming started at 6:02 am and after 19 hours and 18 minutes on the sea a swimming coach and veteran swimmer 34 years old Bruno Nopponen came into the land in Suurupi 01:20 am on Saturday, July26 th, 2008. The gulf was also successfully crossed by TV cameraman Priit Vehm, an amateur open water swimmer, who finished the course at 4:24 am after 22 hours and 22 minutes of swimming in below 20 degree Celsius waters.

On August 8th, 2007 Nopponen, Kaarma and Vehm swam downstream by the river Emajogi from second largest lake of Estonia called Vortsjarv to Tartu, the distance of 57 km. That long swim downstream took 11 hours. It was a success after the failed attempt year earlier. On July 12th, 2005 Priit Vehm scaled also the waters between mainland Estonia and island Hiiumaa, 26,4 km from Rohukula to Heltermaa. He also undertook swim from Rohukula to island Vormsi on 2004. Priit Vehm works as a professional TV cameraman on films and programs. Team member Henri Kaarma accomplished on August 6th, 2006 a 26.4 km marathon-swam from Rapperswil to Zürich in 7 hours and 22 minutes.

The swimmers started gulf crossing at 6:02 am (all times are Estonian Time= GMT +02:00) from Finland's Porkkala peninsula in Kirkkonummi (lat=59.965668, lon=24.392567). Initially planned start at 5:00 am was slightly delayed due to farewell interviews to Finnish TV channel Nelonen. The weather was one of the best this summer with clear skies, air temperature at the start around 17 degrees Celsius and water temperature in the gulf 17.7 degrees Celsius. During the day skies stayed cloudless, air temperature above 20 degrees and water temperature went up to 19 degrees. The wave height was projected to be up to 0.5 meters and slight (or rather non-existent) backwind from 2 to 4 meters. In short, it was almost perfect weather for such a swim.

Around noon the swimming was made more difficult by reaching the major crossing of shipping routes in the gulf and the waves created by passing vessels. At 12:16 pm, after 6 hours 16 minutes and 20 km into the distance Andrus Jaamul and Kinne Tõnnison abandoned the endeavor due to fatigue. At 6:00 pm after 12 hours and close to 32 km of swimming Toomas Haggi climbed into his supporting boat. At 19:17 fourth swimmer Henri Kaarma abandoned the attempt. Financial analyst Henri Kaarma was the only one who tried the course without fullbody swimsuit- calypso, dressed only in trunks and coated with Vaseline.

Somewhat expectedly Bruno Nopponen took the lead and raced ahead of others. Information update around 9:14 pm suggested he had just 11.8 km to go and swam with speed above 2km/hour. Priit Vehm had lower pace and was 17.2 km away from their goal at the Suurupi peninsula. 18 hours into the race, it was difficult for two men to keep their pace, and Bruno Nopponen seemed to consider the island Naissaar as an alternative destination, but his support crew encouraged him to carry on to the mainland.

Fortunately coastal waters helped Nopponen to pick up the speed. At 00:32 am on now July 26th, 2008 Bruno Nopponen was according to the crew of his support boat only 1.7 km from Estonian coast, while Priit Vehm had still 8.5 km to swim. His support crews reported that he had drifted from planned route to the East. Report around 01:00 am suggested Bruno Nopponen had just kilometer to go, while Priit Vehm was still 7 km away from dry land.

FINISH!!! At 01:15 am on Saturday, July 26th, 2008 swimming coach Bruno Nopponen came to the land in Suurupi peninsula Estonia (approximately lat=59.473200, lon=24.392316) . Priit Vehm had still 6.3 km to swim due to his lower pace and the unfortunate drift to the East. He was expected to finish around 03:30 am. At 02:00 he was 5 km from Estonian coast. At 03:10 am he had 2.5km to swim and was expected to finish by 4 am. He eventually came to land at 04:24 am after 22 hours and 22 minutes of swimming. Because of the drift and the course correction Priit Vehm presumably crossed the longest swimming distance during this long day’s journey into the next morning.

Thus, Bruno Nopponen became the first person to perform non-stop swimming across the gulf of Finland from Finnish mainland to mainland Estonia. On August 17th, 1931 Estonian Aleksander Laas also swam across. He started from Tallinn in Estonia, but due to the bad weather he made a stop on island Naissaar near Estonian coast. When the weather improved, he restarted from island around 07:00 am at night and after 19 hours of swimming came to land on a small island near Porkkala, very close to the place from which this team of six started.

04:24 Priit Vehm finisis

Peale 22 tunni ja 22 minuti pikkust ujumismaratoni astus Priit Vehm kell 04:24 mandri peale. Lõpus on ta tempos järgi andnud, aga see on ka arusaadav, ujuda terve öö, külmas vees. Tema katusmus läks võrreldes Brunoga veel ju 3 tunni võrra pikemaks.
Super mehed.

Suured tänud kommenteerijatele, kes siin juba lähiriikide meediasse uudiseid paiskasid ja kõikidele teistele kaasaelajatele.

01:15 Ja nii tehti ajalugu - FINIS

Bruno Nopponen pani jalad maale, peale 19 tundi ja 13 minutit kestunud ujumismaratoni.
Uskumatult võimas esitus. Suur tunnustus Brunole.

Teine sama kõva mees Priit Vehm on veel 6,3 km kaugusel, nad olid kaldunud oluliselt itta ja muudavad oma kurssi lääne poole. Nende uus asukoht on kaardi peal näha.

Tegelikult olid kõik need kes täna starti läksid, kuid katkestasid erinevatel põhjustel- Kinne Tõnnison, Andrus Jaamul, Toomas Haggi ning Henri Kaarma - uskumatult tublid, et nad julgesid ette võtta sellise retke üle Soome lahe.

Info veel Priidu paadist. Nad võtavad täpselt sama kursi ning maabuvad samas kohas kus Bruno. Priit peaks mandrile astuma eeldatavalt 03:30.

01:00 Brunol on jäänud veel 1 km

Henri Kaarma, kes läks starti täna hommikul ilma kalüpsota ja oli sunnitud külma tõttu katkestama kell 19:17, on tulnud oma sõpra vastu võtma, temalt info, et Bruno on 1 km kaugusel.
Priit Vehm on 7 km kaugusel rannikust.

00:32 Bruno on lähenemas mandrile, Priit Vehmil veel 8,5 km

Olin ühenduses Priit Vehmi paadiga neil on jäänud 8,5 km.
Bruno paadiga enam ühendust ei saanud, kuid eeldatavalt on nad 1,7 km kaugusel. Kaldal olevad inimesed peaksid juba paati päris selgelt nägema.

00:04 UJUTUD ON 18 TUNDI JA JÄÄNUD VEEL VIIMASED 3,3 KM

Bruno paadist info 3,3 km lõpuni. Ma pean jälle korrigeerima lõpuaega.
Viimase 42 minutiga läbis Bruno 2,2 km. See tähendab et Bruno on rannikul 01:10.

Priit Vehmil on jäänud veel 9,6 km samal ajal. Kuid Priit on oluliselt kandunud ida poole.

Google Mapsi peal on eeldatav randumiskoht näha, see peaks olema Suurupi rand, seal pidi olema autosid kes vilgutavad paadile tulesid.

Postimees käis vahepeal Brunot vaatamas, see oli 3-4 tundi tagasi, siit siis mõned pildid.
http://sport.postimees.ee/?id=22795

23:45 Bruno 4,4 km lõpuni

Kiire kalkulatsioon näitab et Bruno on rannikule jõudmas 1 h 40 minuti pärast ca 01:30 öösel

23:20 AINULT 5,5 KM VEEL

Kust võtavad need mehed veel jõudu. Kas on seal aitamas laine või mingi hoovus, aga Bruno tempo on tõsunud oluliselt. Lõpuni jääb veel 5,5 km. Mehe enesetunne on väga hea.
See aga tähendab seda, et tullakse kohale oluliselt kiiremini, kui on eeldatud viimastes postitustes. Järgmises postis arvutan kohe välja, mis on eeldatav uus aeg.
Priit Vehm on 11,2 km kaugusel rannikust.

Uued koordinaadid tulevad kohe kaardile.

22:20 info - LIIDRIL VEEL 9 km (BRUNO) Lõpuni

Kell 22:20 saime Bruno paadist infot, et lõpuni jääb veel 9 km, Tempo endiselt natuke üle 2km/h.
Bruno tervise üle ei kurda - täitsa sööb ja joob.
Samal ajal info Priidu paadist:
Priit on 14 km kaugusel Eesti rannikust ning on lähenenud Brunole 0,5km võrra.
Priidu paadist info, et plaanivad randuda u. 04:00. S.t. et Priit jätkab stabiilses tempos, mis veidi kiirem kui Brunol.
Bruno eeldatav maabumise aeg 02:30.
Ajad kindlasti täpsustuvad veel. Uus info u. tunni pärast.

21:14 INFO BRUNO PAADIST

Lõpuks ometi olen saanud kätte Bruno Nopponeni paadi. Alates kella 13:00 kui Bruno hakkas üksi teistel eest ära liikuma, puudus väga täpne teave tema asukoha suhtes. Tegelikult on Bruno ujunud väga kõvasti ja tal jääb hetkel Suurupini ainult 11,8 km, tempo endiselt natuke üle 2 km tunnis. Paadist öeldi et Bruno oli vahepeal "jonnima" hakanud ja tahtnud Naissaarel lõpetada. Kuid nüüd jätkab ja tunneb endas veel jõudu minna lõpuni.
Seega peaks Bruno olema eeldatavalt Suurupis öösel kell 3.
Priit Vehmil jäi täpselt samal ajal tulla veel 17,2 km.
Panen kohe google mapsi Bruno asukoha, ja eeldatava finiskoordinaadi, mis mulle paadist anti.
Finisikoordinaate on siiski veel vara panna. Randuda proovitakse kahe Suurupis oleva majaka vahele, kuna laine kannab Brunot ida poole väikse nurga all siis kasutatkse laine liikumine ära.

20:45 Info Priidu paadist

Priidul jääb veel ujuda 18 km. Esimesest paadist ei ole ikkagi mingit täpset infot, kui vahe oleks 3,5 km nagu see oli 1 h 45 min tagasi siis oleks Bruno Nopponenil veel ujuda 14,5 km

20:00 Priit jätkab reipalt

Priidu paadist tuli kõne et mees jätkab reipalt, kuid lõpuni jääb veel 20 km, ja need on väga rasked, selle tempo juures tähendab, see et tuleks terve öö veel ujuda....
Henri paadist info, et mehel on kõik korras, halvasti ennast ei tunne. Endiselt on vähe infot Bruno paadi kohta.

19:17 Henri Kaarma katkestas

Henri paadist tuli info, et mees astus paati kell 19:17.
Henri oli ainuke 6st ujujast, kes ei läinud ujuma kalüpsoga, vaid määris oma keha sisse vaseliiniga.
Raske on uskuda, et ilma kalüpsota oli ta vees rohkem kui 13 tundi, kusjuures pikka aega oli vee temperatuur ainult 15,8-16,5 kraadi.
Tunnustus sellele mehele, usun et kalüpsoga oleks Henri jõudnud üle lahe ujuda.
Kahel veel ujuma jäänud mehel on väga palju läbida, ajaprognoosid distantsi läbimiseks on mööda läinud, enne kella 2-3 öösel ei ole kedagi oodata Suurupisse.

19:06 3 meest jätkavad

Uskumatud leviprobleemid. Läbi häda on saadud infot. Henri tempo on väga kukkunud hetkel on see 1.5 km tunnis.
Õnnestus saada ka Bruno koordinaadid, samuti Priit Vehmi asukoht. Brunol jääb lõpuni veel 18 km ja Priidul 21,5 km (suhteliselt ligikaudsed km-d).
Bruno tempo on ka langenud, hetkel pidi see olema 2 km tunnis.
Raske, raske, aga loodame parimat

18:00 Kolmas katkestaja Toomas Haggi

Sain ühendust Toomase paadiga. Ja just sel hetkel ronis mees peale 12-tunnist ujumist paati, seekord sai jaks lihtsalt otsa. Eelmine postituses sai arvatud, et Toomas on Henri ja Priidu paatide vahel, aga ta oli siis juba maha jäänud.
Aga suur tunnustus mehele, kes läks nii raskele distantsile ja suutis läbida ligi 32 km.

17:10 - infot jällegi Priidu ja Henri paadist, Henri tempo on oluliselt langenud

Levi on väga kehva, aga kibekähku õnnestus saada vähemalt koordinaadid ja võrrelda poolteise tunni tagust seisu.
Bruno on pikalt ees, aga kui pikalt, seda ei teata. Henri paat on kaldunud natuke liiga lääne poole, alguses arvasin et kuulsin koordinaate valesti, aga Priidu paat kinnitas mu juttu et nad ongi kaldunud liiga paremale (Soome poolt vaadates). Toomas on kuskil kahe mehe vahel.
Henri on tempos väga oluliselt järgi andmas, Priit on tulnud lähemale kui eelmiste koordinaatide juures oli vahe 2,7 km siis nüüd kuskil 2,1-2,2 km.
Priidu paadist öeldi, et Kinne on ka taastunud, oli juba kerge trenni teinud vees.
Toomase paadist ei saanud ka kedagi kätte.

15:30 info Priidu ja Henri paadist, vahe Brunoga käriseb

Natuke alla 9 tunni kulus Henril poole maa läbimiseks, Toomas jäi tast maha endiselt 300 meetriga, mõlemad mehed jätkavad nüüd ühes tempos.
Eelmises postituses mainitud Bruno edu teiste ees üle 1 km osutub tegelikult veel suuremaks, tänu ühele kommenteerijale, kes mainis kell 15:28 et Brunol on 24.6 km lõpuni, Henril oli sel hetkel lõpuni ca 27 km. Vahe on eeldatavalt üle 2 km juba.Kui Bruno oli Henrist ees 2 km siis võiski ta olla poolel maal 14:25-30 paiku.

Kindlasti ei ole selle ürituse eesmärk näidata, kes on kiireim üle Soome lahe ujuja, vaid, suur võitja on juba see kes selle läbida suudab.

Priit jääb samal hetkel Henrist maha 2,7 km.

Mehed on endiselt reipad, ja hea kuulda, et ka Brunol on kõik ok.

14:20 infot Priidu ja Henri paadist, Bruno eeldatavalt poolel maal

Priit jätkab reipalt. Katkestajate kohta ka infot Andrusel on juba väga hea olla, Kinne alles taastub.
Henri on möödunud Toomasest kes jääb maha ca 200-300 m. Paadi info järgi jõutakse 15-20 minuti pärast poolele maale. Henri vahepealne kangestus oli ajutise iseloomuga, mees jätkab kindlal kursil.
Kahju et Bruno paadiga ei ole ühendust saanud, aga silmaga on Henri paadist näha et Bruno on rohkem kui 1 km jagu Henrist ees (mere peal on suhteliselt raske hinnata kaugust), seega on liider sel hetkel poolel maal. Aega on kulunud 8 tundi ja 20 minutit. Kui varem sai optimistlikult eeldatud et ehk võidakse Suurupisse jõuda 22:00, siis hetke kalkulatsioonide järgi jõutakse 23:30.
Hea uudis on see, et päike teeb usinalt oma tööd ja veetemperatuur on tõusnud juba 19kraadini.

Kuna ei jõudnud vahepeal kiiresti blogida, siis panen kella 14:55 info Toomase paadist sama postituse alla. Peale vahepealset surnud punkti ja kangestumist on Toomas hakanud uuesti Henrile lähenema.
Loodan peagi saada infot ka Priidu paadist ja loodan et saan ka lõpuks kätte Bruno paadi, et kuulda infot mehe seisundi kohta.

13:10 - Henri Kaarma ja Toomas Haggi on koos

Hetkel on ujujad Soome lahe levi-augus, nii et kättesaamine on raskendatud, läbi hakkiva kõne sain aru, et Bruno on nüüd üksi ees ujumas ning Toomas ja Henri on koos.
Kell 14:00 proovin uuesti kõigi 4 paadiga ühendust saada, et anda ülevaade meeste olukorrast ja asukohtadest. Selleks hetkeks on ujutud 8 tundi ja distantsilt peaks olema pool maad läbitud.