It’s March! The countdown to my under ice record attempt is in single digits! I will be attempting to break the outright Guinness World Record this Saturday 5 March 2022.
I arrived in Norway on Saturday 19th March in order to allow enough time to acclimatize to the icy water as all my breathhold training had been done in Egypt – very different to the sub zero temperatures of the frozen lake. So far everything has run really smoothly which helps my mental state as I prepare to swim over 100m under the ice with no wetsuit or weight belt. Simple things that many don’t think of like the Airbnb that I rented is very nice and calming which contributes to me being comfortable and being mentally focused on the attempt.
I have taken my time to acclimatize and used everyday to spend a little more time in the water and go a little further underwater. I started off with just 20m, the next day 60m then 80m. The holes are drilled at 20m apart until 80m and then 10m till 100m then every 5m thereafter. I took a rest day and then swam 90m and then 100m! I couldn’t believe it and am really chuffed – I even had a little fan club of kids cheering me on.
So far things are going great and Im going to continue trying to push a little further each day in order to be 100% confident for the day the record attempt arrives. I still get super nervous with every attempt even though it is only a practice run. I have the most amazing support of such fantastic people helping me prepare and ensuring I am safe.
I am still trying to raise funds to assist with the Guinness World Record attempt to cover costs of the safety crew and the officiating of the record. If you would be interested and able to assist, I would appreciate any donations through my crowdfunding page.