The 57th edition of the winter crossing of the Meuse in Huy, Belgium, drew a record-breaking 132 participants this Sunday, according to the organisers.
Since its inception in 1964, the event has been held annually every February in Huy, located in the province of Liège.
This year’s edition featured 150 starts by 132 swimmers from across the country, confirmed Marc Bertrand, president of the organising association.
The crossings took place on Sunday morning from the left bank of the Meuse to the right, spanning between Quai de Compiègne, near the Baudouin Bridge, and Quai d’Arona.
Participants swam 120 metres in the river, finishing near the stone statue of an orca, which represents the mascot of Cool Huy, the local club for open water and cold-water swimming.
The water temperature was recorded at 5.5°C, deemed relatively cold. The river flow was 150 cubic metres per second, which was manageable for the swimmers, Bertrand noted.
Hundreds of spectators lined the quays of the Meuse to watch the event.
Only trained swimmers from Cool Huy and affiliated clubs participated. Bertrand emphasised that cold-water swimming requires rigorous preparation and consistent practice, with participants training one to two times per week in cooler temperatures to acclimatise.
