Arctic ICE Swimming Adventure
Svalbard
The International Ice Swimming Association presents this adventure with swims from 500m, 1000m and a new Polar Ice Mile in the waters of Longyearbyen, Svalbard located at 78 degrees North. We will also explore the surroundings and experience the true Arctic, including a special day out dogsledding. We stay in comfort at the Basecamp Hotel, with its unique sealskin and driftwood decoration. The one-week program with optional three-day extension, is equally open for swim participants as well as friends or supporters. Get yourself to Oslo and join us for this amazing Arctic aquatic adventure!
- All meals and flights included to Longyearbyen.
- Stylish and unique accommodation at Basecamp Hotel
- Magnificent Arctic surroundings, mountains glaciers and snow.
- Cruise in Isfjorden to see glaciers and look for wildlife
- Expert guidance and leaders
- Full logistics backup including follow-boats, sauna tents and polar bear protection
- Ice Swimming events from 500m up to one Mile
- Dog sledging expedition into the wild
- Optional 3 day Snowmobile extension.
Your Ice Swim Adventure Leaders
Ram Barkai
Founder and Chair of the International Ice Swimming Association (“IISA”). Swimming Expedition Leader and Race Director.
Ram is a veteran extreme cold water swimmer. Ram swam in Antarctica
in 2008 with his Guinness World Record Swim at 70S and in 2014 at -1C
with his South African team. Ram has initiated and overseen many Ice
Swimming events and adventures. Ram has 11 Ice Miles and many more 1km
Ice Swims and longer cold-water swims. He swam in the Arctic and
Antarctica, Cape Horn, Magellan strait and Beagle channel, Northern
Iceland, Scotland and Ireland, Across the Bering Strait and in Siberia
mid-winter at -33c air temp. Ram featured in various Discovery,
History channel, CNN, Al Jazeera and many other documentaries. Ram’s
vision is to take Ice Swimming to the Winter Olympic Games.
Dr Sean Gottschalk
Expedition Doctor, Specialist Emergency Physician
Dr Sean has extensive experience in swimming expeditions. He
supervised many cold-water swimming events, various Ice Swimming
Events and expeditions including Lewis Pugh Everest Swim, IISA SA
Lesotho Mountains, Mad Swimmers High Altitude Cold Swim in Chile. He
specialized in Trauma, Hypothermia and recovery. Dr Sean was the
expedition doctor in Antarctica Ice Swimming event 2018.
Sam Whelpton
Expedition head of logistics
Sam is a veteran open water and marathon swimming. Sam has also
completed various ice swims from the Arctic to Antarctica via Lesotho
high mountains. Sam is an Ironman |(woman), English Channel swimmer
and many other swims. Sam will take care of any logistics requirement
prior to the trip and during. Sam is also in charge of time keeping of
the swim events.
Stewart's Take
Our new ICE swimming adventure, this time in the High Arctic 78 degrees North!
Overview
The International Ice Swimming Association presents this adventure with swims from 500m, 1000m and a new Polar Ice Mile in the waters of Longyearbyen, Svalbard located at 78 degrees North. We will also explore the surroundings and experience the true Arctic, including a special day out dogsledding. We stay in comfort at the Basecamp Hotel, with its unique sealskin and driftwood decoration. The one-week program with optional three-day extension, is equally open for swim participants as well as friends or supporters. Get yourself to Oslo and join us for this amazing Arctic aquatic adventure!- To qualify for a 1km Arctic Swim one must have done at least one Ice km under 25minutes in the past 12 months.
- To Qualify for a Polar Ice Mile, one must have completed an Ice Mile under 40 minutes in the past 18 months.
- Each swimmer must have a completed and valid IISA Medical. The medical must be completed not earlier than Dec 2019.
- Each swimmer must have his/her medical insurance
- Swimmer will be obliged to wear a tow float during each swim.
- The 1km event will be held with 4 swimmers in a heat.
- Swim Entries must be done via IISA Website – Arctic Ice Swimming Adventure
- An Ice Mile is at the expedition leader’s discretion. Each Ice Mile will be done individually. In an Ice Mile, the 1km time will be used for the 1KM event.
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LAND PROGRAM: BASECAMP HOTEL SVALBARD
This unique hotel in Longyearbyen is decorated in authentic trapper's
style down to the last detail, with service on a personal level. From
the glass-roofed loft look up to a sky filled with northern lights or
the midnight sun. The hotel is also a basecamp for further adventures:
excursions available to other lodges as well as dog sledding, glacier
walks and hikes and cruises in Isfjorden.
The interior of Basecamp Hotel is covered with driftwood, sealskin,
maps, pictures and objects that illustrate the past and the present of
life in the Arctic. The rooms are all different, with comfortable
beds, private bathrooms and no TVs. Breakfast and wifi are included.
From Longyearbyen we take you to other remote outposts in the
wilderness.
Basecamp Hotel has 16 rooms and can accommodate more than 40 people.
Each room is individually decorated in traditional trapper style with
driftwood, sealskin and slate. No two rooms are alike. In all rooms
there are comfortable beds and private bathrooms with showers. Double
rooms come with either two single beds or one double bed. In triple
rooms there are bunk beds, in real trapper’s style. Double beds are by
request only. Two of the rooms in Basecamp Hotel are suites, with
separate bedrooms, lounge, and bathroom. From all the rooms you have a
beautiful view over the town, towards the mountains surrounding the
valley of Longyeardalen.
For full information about Basecamp Hotel click here:
Included
- Group airfares Oslo / Longyearbyen / Olso in Go Plus class with extra baggage allowance
- One-night accommodation at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Oslo with breakfast
- Welcome dinner in Oslo
- 5 nights’ accommodation at Basecamp Hotel with Breakfast / lunch / dinner included
- Transfers in Longyearbyen to/from events and flights as indicated in the itinerary
- ICE Swimming expedition guides from International Ice Swimming Association and a dedicated Doctor
- Sightseeing cruise in Isfjorden with two closed boats
- Marked course swim event over two days in Isfjorden with two open follow boats. Ashore will be a sauna and shelter tent.
- Polar bear protection guides to follow the event
- Hot and cold drinks, snacks during the swim event Dogsledding excursion and Trapper’s Dinner on last day
Excluded
- Single hotel supplement $750 (if required or necessary)
- Transfers in Oslo (train tickets to be purchased individually on site)
- Airfares or land arrangements not otherwise mentioned in the itinerary.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
- Excess baggage charges (flight tickets include 2 x 23kg luggage).
- All items of a personal nature such as additional purchases in the hotel, laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
Bookings
All booking enquiries and payments are made to Expeditions Online via
their website, by phone or email. However, any specific
swimming-related questions are to be directed to the International Ice
Swimming Association.
Payments
Reservations require a $1500 deposit at the time you receive a
booking confirmation from Expeditions Online. A payment link will be
sent to you and this may be paid by major credit card. Bookings within
90 days of departure require full payment. Balances are due 90 days
prior to departure and can be paid by bank transfer. Balance payments
may be made by credit card subject to a 2% surcharge.
Cancellations
All requests for cancellation must be received in writing to
Expeditions Online. Cancellations received 90 days or more prior to
departure = $750. Cancellations received 90-60 days prior to departure
= loss of deposit. If cancellation occurs 60- days prior to departure:
50% of the total price. If cancellation occurs within 30 days prior to
departure: no refund. If full payment has not yet been received, the
full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due
immediately.
Insurance
Adequate trip cancellation insurance is required for this expedition,
including emergency medical evacuation
coverage.
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