Sisters Sophie (17) and Heidi Winter (15) now have a world record each, which they earned in the 100m individual medley (IM) during the Southern Hemisphere Ice Swimming Championships held at Alexandra Pool, from July 10-13.

The siblings, along with their dad, Chris, entered a variety of strokes and distances and enjoyed finishing the event in the south relay team.

Sophie said her time of 1 minute 12 seconds in the 100m IM felt good, especially considering in ice swimming there is no dive at the start, no turns and the cold does impact your performance.

“I thought it was a good time.

"It was fun and I enjoyed it. I feel like the cold doesn’t bother me now.

“My PB (personal best) in the pool [inside] is 1.08 . . . the previous world record [for an ice swim] was 1.15, so I’m happy, I’m still getting my head around it.”

Younger sister Heidi notched up two age group world records (WRs) at the meet, one in the 100m IM and the other in 200m IM. 

Sophie said it was special to both get WRs at their home pool, where the pair have grown up swimming for Alexandra Swimming Club. 

Watch ASC swimmers Heidi (lane four, on left) Sophie (lane two) in the 200m IM heat from Friday. Sophie finished first and Heidi second. VIDEO: The Central App

To prepare, Sophie, Heidi and Chris have been training in the outdoor pool two mornings a week for more than a month. 

Chris Winter and fellow swimmer Kevin Hopkins prior to a 50m freestyle race. PHOTO: The Central App 

Sophie said it all started when a friend Julie signed up and suggested they did too.

“I said I’d do it, and we wanted to put together a relay team so we got Dad in too.”

Sophie said after her longest swim of the ice champs (500m) she was warming up for around 30 minutes in the medical room.

“I wouldn't want to do it without having done the training . . . I got chilblains in my fingers, but I was otherwise okay . . . it’s definitely a different branch of swimming, but you feel like you've achieved something.”

Event organiser Susan Sherwen said the 195 races held over the four days went smoothly.

“Friends for life are created in these challenging conditions where everyone supports each other.”

Pictured (from left) are local swimmers at prizegiving Julie, Vicki, Sophie, Chris and Heidi. PHOTO: Supplied

The toughest races were the 500m and 1km freestyle, with cold temperatures taking a toll on swimmers in these longer distances. 

She said it was an incredible achievement for 23 swimmers in the 1km, and 36 who finished the 500m. 

There were five swimmers in the 1km and two in the 500m who finished their swims early making a “sensible choice” because of the symptoms of hypothermia. 

Overall, nine more world records were set in the open category as well as Sophie’s.

They went to Emilia Finer for 250m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 200m IM; Laura Quilter for 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke; Cameron Stanley in 200m IM and Mary Fisher in 200m IM (para WR).

Multiple world age group records were also recorded with Cameron Stanley (35 - 39-year-olds) scooping 100m backstroke, and Madeline Hobo (16 - 17-year-olds) the 500m freestyle records.

In the distance challenge, Duncan Kukard completed 2.25km in 46 minutes 38 seconds and Susan Sherwen 2.1km in 41 minutes and 9 seconds. They both swam longer than any New Zealand swimmer has previously done in ice swimming. 

Next year the event returns to St Bathans. 

Sophie said the lake would be a whole lot different to swimming in the outdoor pool, and it was too early to tell if her family would be entering again. 

In 2022, Sophie (at age 15) won emerging swimmer of the year in the annual Swimming Otago awards, and last year Heidi (at 14) followed in her sister's footsteps and won the same award.  

Read more: Ice swimming an inclusive culture

Read more: New 50m freestyle ice swimming record set in Alexandra 

Read more: Ice swimming championships return to Alexandra Pool