IISA Member Bio

IISA Member Bio

IISA ID:  10
Membership Level Icon
Ram Barkai
IISA President, CEO, Founder
Country Ambassador
Chairman Icon
South Africa
Cape Town
South Africa
South Africa
Country Association
South Africa
ICE ID: 1
Gender: Male
Age: 66
Ice Miles: 11
ICE 7s: 4
Extreme: 5
About Ram Barkai
Ice Swimmer, open water swimmer, cold water swimmer – basically loves to swim anywhere, anytime any place as long as it is clean, in the open and hopefully cold. Lives in South Africa, Camps Bay, father to 4 beautiful, bright and adorable (and expensive) kids.
I have lived in many places and swam in many places, I simply believe that life has to be lived to the utmost full with a strong focus on health of body and mind and healthy respect to mad adventures.
I believe that every single person out there has a superhuman or hero hiding inside him or her and it is entirely up to that person to unlock that superhuman, ignore what everyone and society told us about what we can’t do and shouldn’t do and let it thrive with humility and respect to others.

The Ice is calling….Never be scared to dare!

Ice Miles

  Swim Date Swim
Location		 Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Swim
Dist.		 Swim
Time		 Body of
Water		 Altitude (m)
GPS Latitude		    
1 31 Jan 2009 Lake Zurich, Switzerland 4.00°C 0.00°C 1.4300mi 0:43:00 Open Water 47.22°N view
2 17 Jul 2010 Fraserburg, RSA 4.50°C 5.00°C 1.0000mi 0:33:00 Open Water 31.91°S view
3 23 Jul 2011 Fraserburg, RSA 5.00°C 10.00°C 1.0000mi 0:28:59 Open Water 31.91°S view
4 4 Jan 2012 Loch Fiskaley, Scotland 2.00°C 0.00°C 1.0000mi 0:28:03 Open Water 56.71°N view
5 15 Jul 2012 Fraserburg, RSA 1.70°C -5.00°C 1.0000mi 0:31:33 Open Water 31.91°S view
6 31 Jan 2013 Lake Holborough, Kent, UK 3.50°C 0.00°C 1.0000mi 0:31:14 Open Water 51.34°N view
7 23 Mar 2013 Murmansk, Russia 0.00°C 0.00°C 1.0000mi 0:32:43 Open Water 68.97°N view
8 31 Dec 2014 Vltava River, Branik, Pragu... 4.60°C -2.00°C 1.0300mi 0:30:00 Open Water 50.03°N view
9 31 Dec 2015 Aukreyri, Iceland 4.63°C -15.10°C 1.0000mi 0:32:18 Sea 0m  65.41°N view
10 12 Jun 2017 Lake Baikal, Russia 4.70°C 17.00°C 1.0000mi 0:31:45 Lake 53.56°N view
11 22 Jun 2017 Svalbard, Arctic Sea 4.61°C 0.30°C 1.0300mi 0:28:16 Sea 0m  78.50°N view

IISA 1km Swims

Only IISA Swims <= 5.0°C
  Swim
Date		 Event Name Country
Association		 Event Venue Swim
Time		 Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Altitude (m)
GPS Latitude		 AR ER WR WC    
1 16 Dec 2012 Tyumen ice swimming Russian Federation Tyumen russia 16:59.00 0.00°C -33.00°C   AR       PDF Icon view
2 11 Jan 2015 1st Aqua Sphere Ice Sw... Germany Lake Woehrsee, Burghausen 17:20.00 4.80°C 0.00°C           PDF Icon view
3 20 Mar 2015 IISA 1st World Champio... Russian Federation Lake Semenovskoye, Mur... 16:39.00 0.08°C -5.00°C           PDF Icon view
4 19 Dec 2015 River Labe CZ Ice Swim... Czech Republic Hradec Kralove 17:59.00 4.70°C 7.00°C           PDF Icon view
5 10 Jan 2016 2. Aqua Sphere Ice Swi... Germany Burghausen 17:28.00 3.90°C 0.00°C           PDF Icon view
6 23 Jan 2016 Polish Championships -... Poland Katowice 16:55.00 2.00°C 0.00°C           PDF Icon view
7 30 Jan 2016 International Ice Swim... Ireland Wild Water, Armagh 16:53.00 4.50°C -8.00°C           PDF Icon view
8 7 Aug 2016 IISA SA 2016 Champ South Africa Afriski resort, Lesoth... 25:48.00 4.00°C 5.00°C 29.61°S Open Water PDF Icon view
9 6 Jan 2017 2nd Ice Swimming Aqua ... Germany Burghausen, Bavaria 16:58.85 3.40°C -11.10°C   AR       PDF Icon view
10 11 Feb 2017 Ice Cup & GB Ice Swimm... Great Britain The Cruin, Loch Lomond... 22:08.00 4.20°C 0.90°C 56.02°N Open Water PDF Icon view
11 8 Jun 2017 Russia 2017 Baikal Mile Russian Federation lake Baikal. 18:58.43 4.60°C 22.00°C 53.56°N Open Water PDF Icon view
12 7 Jan 2018 Ice Swimming German Open Germany Veitsbronn 17:36.30 3.80°C 6.00°C           PDF Icon view
13 25 Feb 2018 IISA GB Championships Great Britain Hatfield Outdoor Activ... 16:13.44 3.60°C 1.10°C           PDF Icon view
14 24 Nov 2018 Antarctica Ice Swimmin... Antarctica Mikkelsen Harbour, ant... 18:47.00 0.00°C 0.00°C 0m  63.50°S Open Water PDF Icon view
15 18 Mar 2019 IISA III World Champ M... Russian Federation murmansk, semyonovskoe... 17:32.61 0.00°C -6.30°C           PDF Icon view
16 28 Jul 2019 Africa Lesotho Ice Swi... South Africa Afriski, Lesotho, africa 22:38.61 2.00°C 1.80°C 29.61°S Open Water PDF Icon view
17 6 Jan 2020 6th Ice Swimming Aqua ... Germany Veitsbronn Germany 18:03.00 2.80°C 4.00°C           PDF Icon view
18 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... France Samoens 17:02.93 3.70°C 2.00°C           PDF Icon view
AR = Age-Group Record
ER = Swim Event Record
WR = World Record
WC = World Championship Record

Short and Other IISA distances

Only IISA Swims <= 5.0°C
Event Distance Swim Date Event Name Event Venue Country
Association		 Swim Time
(mm:ss:cc)		 Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Altitude (m)
GPS Latitude		    
500m Freestyle 25 Feb 2018 IISA GB Championships Hatfield Outdoor Activ... Great Britain 07:48.65 3.60°C 1.1°C 53.58°N PDF Icon view
500m Freestyle 1 Aug 2019 Africa Lesotho Ice Swi... Afriski, Lesotho, africa South Africa 10:24.33 2.00°C 1.8°C 29.61°S PDF Icon view
500m Freestyle 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 08:05.76 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N PDF Icon view
250m Freestyle 7 Feb 2022 IISA 4th World Champio... Glogow, Poland Poland 03:58.57 3.00°C 1.5°C 0m  51.39°N PDF Icon view
250m Freestyle 4 May 2022 Svalbard Arctic Ice Sw... Longyearbyen, Svalbard The Arctic 04:08.49 -1.00°C -15.9°C 0m  78.22°N PDF Icon view
100m Freestyle 25 Feb 2018 IISA GB Championships Hatfield Outdoor Activ... Great Britain 01:20.69 3.60°C 1.1°C 53.58°N PDF Icon view
100m Freestyle 7 Feb 2022 IISA 4th World Champio... Glogow, Poland Poland 01:23.11 3.00°C 1.5°C 0m  51.39°N PDF Icon view
100m Freestyle 21 Jan 2023 6th Ice Swim in Morocco Aguelmam Azagza Lake Morocco 01:33.70 0.00°C 0.0°C 1475m  32.58°N PDF Icon view
50m Freestyle 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 00:37.00 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N PDF Icon view
50m Breaststroke 7 Feb 2022 IISA 4th World Champio... Glogow, Poland Poland 00:49.58 3.00°C 1.5°C 0m  51.39°N PDF Icon view
50m Breaststroke 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 00:46.47 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N PDF Icon view
200m Freestyle 7 Jan 2018 Ice Swimming German Open Veitsbronn Germany 02:56.20 3.80°C 6.0°C 49.51°N PDF Icon view
200m Freestyle 18 Mar 2019 IISA III World Champ M... murmansk, semyonovskoe... Russian Federation 03:05.96 0.00°C -6.3°C 68.97°N PDF Icon view
200m Freestyle 22 Feb 2024 Antarctica Ice Swimmin... Detaille Island, Antar... Antarctica 04:00.00 0.00°C 0.0°C 0m  66.52°S PDF Icon view

Qualifying Swims

IISA Qualifying Swims & IISA Event Swims > 5.0°C
  Swim
Date		 Swim
Location		 Event Name Swim
Distance		 Stroke Status Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Swim
Time		 Altitude
(m)		 Observer    
1 14 Feb 2016 Lough Dan, County Wicklow 1610m Crawl Accepted 5.60°C 0.00°C 32:00.00 - Fergal Somerville PDF Icon view
2 23 Feb 2020 SANDFORD LIDO IISA GB CHAMPIONSHIPS 1000m Crawl Accepted 6.50°C 0.00°C 17:04.47 - Kate Steels PDF Icon view     
3 20 Aug 2021 Matroosberg Nature... Matroosberg 2021 ICE swim 1000m Crawl Accepted 8.00°C 4.10°C 17:51.00 - Neil Hopkins PDF Icon view     
4 21 Aug 2022 Matroosberg Nature... Matroosberg Ice Swim 1000m Crawl Accepted 8.00°C 3.10°C 18:34.29 1400m Francois Du Toit PDF Icon view     
5 23 Feb 2020 SANDFORD LIDO IISA GB CHAMPIONSHIPS 100m Crawl Accepted 6.50°C 0.00°C 01:21.16 - Kate Steels PDF Icon view     
6 06 Oct 2023 Lake Khuvsgul , Mongolia Mongolia Ice Swimming... 1609m Crawl Accepted 8.10°C 3.90°C 35:20.00 1645m Ice Admin PDF Icon view     

IISA Relay Swims

4-person relay events
Relay Distance Swim Date Event Name Event Venue Country
Association		 Swim Time
(mm:ss:cc)		 Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Altitude (m)
GPS Latitude		    
4 x 50m VIP Relay 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 02:17.25 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N   view
4 x 250m Country Relay Frees... 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 13:46.90 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N   view
4 x 50m Mixed Freestyle Relay 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 02:14.64 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N   view
4 x 50m Mixed Medley Relay 4 Feb 2024 IISA 1st European Cham... Oradea, Romania Romania 03:36.45 4.07°C 0.6°C 0m  47.40°N   view

Other Swims

Solo
  Swim
Date		 Location
(Description)		 Time
Taken		 Swim
Distance		 Avg Dist.
Per Day		 Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Observer /
Witness		 Awards  
1 6 Feb 2008 Antarctica 70 South - GWR
(GWR - most southerly Swim )		 22:05 1,000 m - 0°C 0°C Patrick Woodhead   view
2 2 Mar 2014 Neko Harbour Antarctica
(Antarctic Circle Challenge...)		 31:00 1,200 m - -1°C -5°C Gavin Pike   view

Photos


  • Photo Caption 1

  • Photo Caption 2

  • Photo Caption 3

  • Photo Caption 4

  • Photo Caption 5

  • Photo Caption 6

  • Photo Caption 7

  • Photo Caption 8

  • Photo Caption 9

  • Photo Caption 10

Videos

IISA Members

Login

Register | Lost your password?
0

Your Cart