On Saturday 24th January we welcomed 223 swimmers from all over the UK to Brockwell Lido for FreezeFest 2026, and what a way to spend a January Saturday.

Swimmers started arriving from 9am, and there was a brilliant turnout of spectators enjoying the atmosphere as the sun shone on our beloved lido. After a week of rain we were so lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies and sunshine adding a perfect backdrop to the morning’s action.

With the water temperature at a crisp 7.8ºC, it was always going to be a proper winter challenge. Races ran from 10am and finished at 1pm on the dot, which was especially impressive given it was our first outing with the new timing system. A few early hiccups were quickly sorted thanks to the calm heads and teamwork of our volunteers and brilliant time keepers.

The atmosphere poolside was buzzing all morning. From nervous warm-ups and last-minute layer shedding, to big cheers at the finish and clouds of steam rising from our three hot-tubs, FreezeFest captured everything we love about cold-water swimming: grit, camaraderie and shared achievement.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the day run so smoothly, volunteers managing poolside, timing, race logistics, and those helping swimmers in and out of the water. And of course, massive respect to every swimmer who braved 7.8ºC water.

We hope that FreezeFest will continues to grow, and seeing Brockwell Lido filled with swimmers, supporters, and visitors from across the UK made it a truly special day. We hope everyone headed home tired, smiling, and already thinking about next year.

Full race results can be downloaded by clicking here.