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08
Jan 2023
Harrogate district quartet set to represent Britain in world ice swimming
A swimmer from Knaresborough is one of four locals warming up to represent their country at the world ice swimming championships this week.
Jacqui Hargrave - known as Open Water Woman - is part of a team of four from the Harrogate district competing in the event.
Millie Bell, Emily Smailes and Jonty Warneken will also be taking part in the contest from January 12 to 15 in the French Alps.
The team face water temperatures as low as 2C when they compete against 500 athletes from around the world.
Jacqui will be competing in the 50m and 100m categories and has been in training with the team in Doncaster. She said:
Her sprint race may only last a couple of minutes, but it is still important that Jacqui takes the cold seriously and warms back up gradually.
She uses a hot drink and hot water bottle to help her recover, before taking a warm shower about an hour later. She added:
The team was given a major boost recently when adventurer and Chief Scout Bear Grylls, whose sister Lara is also in the squad, stopped by for a training session.
He posted about the experience on his Twitter account:
https://twitter.com/BearGrylls/status/1607685017198792706
Always a keen athlete, Jacqui only began open water swimming 12 years ago after problems with her hips preventing her from running.
She first tried swimming with her friend Andrea and said:
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