Isle of Man ice swimmer Carole Laporte enjoyed a successful trip to Wales recently to compete in the 2026 Welsh Winter Swim.

At this time of year the lakes are icy cold in Snowdonia and Laporte couldn’t resist the attraction of a swim event during half-term, especially one that coincided with her birthday.

‘I’m just going to take it in and enjoy myself’, she said beforehand. That would have been true for the various fun events organised by LoveSwimRun with fancy dress and inflatables and challenge swims up to 250 metres.

But the organisers also included 500m and 1km events for very experienced cold water distance swimmers only, for which there were prizes awarded for the three fastest competitors. The QEII teacher couldn’t resist.

The venue was a watersports centre in Llyn Padarn, Llanberis, a beautiful lake nestled in the valley with views of the snow-covered Mount Snowdon.

The anticipated water temperature was between three to eight degrees, while on the day it was recorded at 5.5 degrees, frustratingly just above the five-degree Ice category.

Sunday morning saw a host of swimmers enjoying the cold water in their fancy dress, some with a variety of inflatable toys creating a lively spectacle.

For those wishing to challenge themselves that bit more, there were head-up breaststroke races at 50m to 250m and for the more competitive cold-water swimmers there were heats allowing front crawl stroke.

The afternoon saw the races for hardened swimmers who had qualified with observed swims in water below five degrees. The organisers made proper use of the lake and set out large, buoyed courses which were more adventurous than the frequent use of 25m or 50m laned swimming pools.

Additionally, the swimmers were permitted to use wetsuits or stick to the ‘Channel rules’-based costume, swim cap and goggles only, often referred to as skins swimmers.

The races started with the 500m event, mixing female, male, wetsuits or skins into one group. The first three places were taken by the men in times ranging from seven minutes 24 seconds to 9m 33s.

Interestingly, all three were skins swimmers even though wetsuits are generally regarded as advantageous both in terms of speed and limiting the effects of cold exposure.

Finishing off the afternoon’s racing was the 1km (1,000 metre) event, again with all categories mixed. As mentioned before, this was a large, buoyed course with no lane markers or repetitive turns every 25m or 50m.

It is less confined and allows more freedom but, with buoys arranged for various distances, there is the risk of taking a wrong turn, especially for the lead swimmer. Laporte made this error while head down in the lead and swam further than necessary. Never one to give up though, she corrected and regained the lead to take overall victory by only seven seconds from Jason Milton, also a skins swimmer and beating the wet-suited Michael Griffiths.

Laporte seems to be making a habit of swimming the pants off the men!

Overall results for 1km: 1st female - Carole Laporte (skins) 18 minutes 04 seconds; 1st male - Jason Milton (skins) 18.11; 2nd male - Michael Griffiths (wetsuit) 19.19; 2nd female - Julia Maguire (skins) 20.52; 3rd female - Tara Sexton (skins) 21.43.

NIGEL HENDY