INTERNATIONAL: Hundreds of swimmers braved the freezing waters of Prague's Vltava River on Sunday in honour of winter swimming pioneer Alfred Nikodem. The 360 participants from eight different countries, including Poland, United States and England, took part in the 100, 300 and 750 meter distances categories.

The air was -6 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature hovering between 3-4 degrees, the lowest temperature in many years. Long distance swimmer Lenka Sterbova finished in 9 minutes and 11 seconds, winning the 750 meters race.

Sterbova says, "This was really freezing this year and cold is also outside the water. I am rushing up to get indoor where I will defrost near the heater."

Organizer Tomas Prokop says, "The (freezing) weather did help us during the night a lot - the water temperature fall of one degree on 3, 4 degrees Celsius and the air is 6 degrees under zero, which are the ideal conditions for winter swimmers."

Long time winter simmer Richard Hahn says that is an exception when the water under 4 degrees Celsius.

 Prague goldsmith and founder of winter swimming in the Czech countries. He braved the cold waters in Prague with his few fellows in 1923. Five years later, more than fifty people were swimming with him. Since then, the tradition has been kept alive every year.

^{PHOTO: SWIMMERS PARTICIPATING IN WINTER SWIMMING COMPETITION/ PUBLIC WATCHING/ SOUNDBITES FROM LONG DISTANCE SWIMMER, LENKA STERBOVA, AND OTHER SWIMMERS / SWIMMERS AT THE PONTOON}