- Title: GERMANY: Germany's swimmers enjoy a cold wet carnival in the Donau river
- Date: 3rd February 2008
- Summary: (L!1) NEUBURG, GERMANY (JANUARY 26, 2008) (REUTERS) SWIMMING POOL AND PEOPLE GATHERING PEOPLE GETTING CHANGED WHILE CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYS RUBBER BOAT WITH FURRY DUCK IN A SNORKEL IN IT / PEOPLE CHANGING 80-YEAR-OLD BERNHARD WINKLER IN A CARNIVAL HAT PUTTING HIS UMBRELLA UP
- Embargoed: 19th February 2008 11:18
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA332I4QL199VHIBLGJRI71RUUC
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: They take their carnival seriously in Germany, so what better way for carnival swimmers to celebrate the end of the winter than with a nice cold swim in the Donau river.
Wet suits might not be what most people think of as typical carnival costumes, but for the Neuburg swimmers, they are crucial.
Like most Germans, they get dressed up and have decorated floats for carnival - only their floats really do float - they push them down the Donau river.
And temperatures just above freezing can do nothing to dampen the party atmosphere at this wettest of carnival parades on Saturday (January 26), though admittedly some swimmers drank German schnapps to help warm them up from the inside.
"I enjoyed it, I didn't think it would be like this, I pictured it as being much worse, but it was good. The first thirty seconds are bad until your heart calms down, then it is ok," one man panted as he got out of the river.
The water temperature was only 4.5 degrees celsius, but with the temperature out of the water only 3.5 degrees celsius, some of the more hardy swimmers jumped into the river in just swimming trunks and maybe a woolly hat.
"You feel like you have been born again when you get out. It's great, you wouldn't believe it, but it's just a shock at first and having to talk yourself into getting in. But this is the fourth time I have taken part, it's fun," said Christhard Broedel.
The majority of the swimmers are members of life-saving associations, the fire service and diving clubs. The organisers say almost 2,000 people were registered from 188 different German cities, but there were also people from France and even Slovenia.
"I feel like I have been born again. It was nice, it wasn't so cold. I am just a bit out of breath. I have a false hip, and then it is hard to climb out. But otherwise it was great, it is the 26th time I have taken part."
The self-proclaimed oldest participant to tackle the 4000 metres in the cold river is Bernhard Winkler. The 80-year-old says for him it is not so much the cold water that is the problem, but getting out of it.
"I feel like I have been born again. It was nice, it wasn't so cold. I am just a bit out of breath. I have a false hip, and then it is hard to climb out. But otherwise it was great, it is the 26th time I have taken part."
And as next year the Donau-Swim will be celebrating it's 40th anniversary, Bernhard says he will be back for his carnival dip in the Donau next year too, false hip or not. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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