IISA Member Bio

IISA Member Bio
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Kate Steels

England
Southampton
England
Great Britain
Country Association
Great Britain
IISA ID: 110
Gender: Female
Age: 53
Ice Miles: 11
ICE 7s: 7
Extreme:: 1
About Kate Steels
I am the Chairman of IISA GB Board and secretary to the global IISA Board as well as being an IISA Official. Together with the other GB board Members I have responsibility for organizing the GB Ice Swimming Championships. I am grateful to have the opportunity to help shape the future of our unique and wonderful sport, and to promote it safely.

I feel very proud to have been inducted as Honour Swimmer into the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame, Class of 2020.

I love to swim wherever I can - in the sea, rivers, lakes and swimming pool (Masters), in the UK and abroad. I enjoy open water swimming all year round. The buzz I get from ice swimming is amazing, and in the summer I really enjoy long distance / endurance swimming together with a variety of competitions and events. The camaraderie and friendship amongst the open water and ice swimming community is second to none.

My first cold water competition in cold water was at Tooting Bec Lido for the UKCWSC in 2013 where I won a bronze medal. However it wasnt until 2014, after the Jinan Festival of Springs Competition in China that I got a real taste of serious ice swimming. I travelled up to Harbin in the far NE of China and had several dips with the local ice swimming club. The air was -33 C .... it took an hour at dawn to clear the river pool from thick ice that formed each day, but the swimming was amazing.

In January 2015 I did my first official Ice Mile and then in March I was selected to represent the UK in the First World Ice Swimming Championships 1km in Murmansk, Russia. This was a serious challenge but one that I was very excited about and I trained extremely hard for. I had been swimming in local lakes and rivers 4-5 times a week. I had spent a week in Snowdonia hiking to the coldest lakes I could find to swim twice daily. Then, shortly before travelling to Russia I was given an old bath and resorted to having ice baths in my back garden !! The atmosphere and venue in Murmansk was spectacular -we were all treated like Olympians. The water was marginally above freezing and the air sub zero. I swam late in the day, after the solar eclipse. Soon after I started swimming the sun went behind the clouds and it snowed heavily. I was thrilled to finish the event and ecstatic to learn later that I had won a gold in my age group and set a new world record for my age group.

I am lucky enough to have travelled, and taken part in ice swims in many wonderful places. One particularly memorable trip was in March 2017 when I was lucky enough to be part of a swimming expedition to Arctic Norway. The fjord scenery was stunning, the sea crystal clear and icy cold. I successfully completed my Polar Ice Mile here.

The hardest swim I have ever done was the Ice Zero - my Ice Mile in China on Christmas Eve 2017. I am extremely pleased to have achieved this but certainly have no desire to repeat it!!

Some of my other swimming achievements include a 20 Bridges / Manhattan, USA (47km) 2018, English Channel Solo 2016 (32km), Lake Zurich Solo 2014 (26,4km) a 4 person relay around the Isle of Wight 2014 (58 miles) as well as a large number of shorter swims and competitions in the UK and abroad.

I am always pleased to be able to give something back to the swimming community and to inspire others. I have supported several swimmers doing cross channel solos and taken on the role of WOWSA observer for world record Iron Swim attempts in Tunisia.

I have established a cold water swim club, Swanwick Seals, at Andark Dive Lake, Lower Swanwick, Hampshire, and have successfully secured grant funding for a club sauna. Please find us on facebook if you would like to join - everyone welcome.

Finally, I would like to thank all my friends and family who have supported me over the years and helped me succeed in my swims.

Ice Miles

  Swim Date Swim
Location		 Water
Temp		 Wind
Chill		 Swim
Dist.		 Swim
Time		 Body of
Water		 Altitude (m)
GPS Latitude		    
1 31 Jan 2015 Andark Lake, Bursledon, Sou... 3.90°C -1.00°C 1.0300mi 0:32:50 Open Water 50.88°N view
2 3 Dec 2016 Andark Lake, Lower Swanwick... 4.80°C 2.20°C 1.0000mi 0:31:38 Pool 50.88°N view
3 4 Mar 2017 Mikkelvik Brygge, Norway 2.37°C -7.30°C 1.0600mi 0:33:16 Sea 70.01°N view
4 15 Dec 2017 Lac Aguelmame Sidi Ali, Atl... 3.83°C -2.00°C 1.1300mi 0:35:00 Lake 33.08°N view
5 24 Dec 2017 South Lake, Shuangyashan Ci... 0.90°C -22.10°C 1.0100mi 0:35:05 Lake 46.65°N view
6 3 Mar 2018 Lee-On-Solent, Hampshire, UK 3.07°C 0.20°C 1.0600mi 0:33:04 Sea 50.80°N view
7 21 Apr 2019 Lake Simcoe, Beaverton, Canada 4.13°C 7.90°C 1.0000mi 0:31:42 Lake 44.43°N view
8 31 Aug 2019 Lake Lyndon, New Zealand 3.93°C 4.50°C 1.0500mi 0:31:57 Lake 43.30°S view
9 21 Nov 2021 Lake Esmeralda, Ushuaia, Ar... 4.33°C -1.60°C 1.0100mi 0:29:19 Glacial Lake 500m  54.69°S view
10 22 Jan 2022 Llanwit, Wales, UK 4.60°C 4.40°C 1.0100mi 0:28:49 Pool 10m  51.40°N view
11 28 Jan 2023 Andark Lake, Oslands Lane, ... 3.97°C 6.10°C 1.0100mi 0:29:47 Lake 30m  50.52°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 20 Mar 2015 IISA 1st World Champio... Russian Federation Lake Semenovskoye, Mur... 19:30.00 0.08°C -5.00°C   AR       PDF Icon view
2 20 Feb 2016 IISA Great Britain IK ... Great Britain Andark Lake, Southampt... 17:48.00 5.00°C 0.00°C           PDF Icon view
3 26 Feb 2016 Estonian 1km Ice Swimm... Estonia Tallinn 18:43.00 0.00°C 0.00°C           PDF Icon view
4 6 Jan 2017 2nd Ice Swimming Aqua ... Germany Burghausen, Bavaria 18:44.18 3.40°C -11.10°C           PDF Icon view
5 11 Feb 2017 Ice Cup & GB Ice Swimm... Great Britain The Cruin, Loch Lomond... 20:09.00 4.20°C 0.90°C 56.02°N Open Water PDF Icon view
6 25 Feb 2018 IISA GB Championships Great Britain Hatfield Outdoor Activ... 17:40.36 3.60°C 1.10°C           PDF Icon view
7 18 Mar 2019 IISA III World Champ M... Russian Federation murmansk, semyonovskoe... 17:31.32 0.00°C -6.30°C           PDF Icon view
8 6 Jan 2020 6th Ice Swimming Aqua ... Germany Veitsbronn Germany 18:15.90 2.80°C 4.00°C           PDF Icon view
9 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... France Samoens 16:33.80 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 08:31.75 3.60°C 1.1°C 53.58°N PDF Icon view
500m Freestyle 18 Mar 2019 IISA III World Champ M... murmansk, semyonovskoe... Russian Federation 08:22.23 0.00°C -6.3°C 68.97°N PDF Icon view
500m Freestyle 6 Jan 2020 6th Ice Swimming Aqua ... Veitsbronn Germany Germany 08:40.10 2.80°C 4.0°C 49.51°N PDF Icon view
500m Freestyle 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 07:46.79 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N PDF Icon view
100m Freestyle 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 01:23.72 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N PDF Icon view
100m Breaststroke 11 Feb 2017 Ice Cup & GB Ice Swimm... The Cruin, Loch Lomond... Great Britain 02:41.00 4.20°C 0.9°C 56.02°N PDF Icon view
50m Freestyle 18 Mar 2019 IISA III World Champ M... murmansk, semyonovskoe... Russian Federation 00:41.04 0.00°C -6.3°C 68.97°N PDF Icon view
50m Breaststroke 18 Mar 2019 IISA III World Champ M... murmansk, semyonovskoe... Russian Federation 00:46.79 0.00°C -6.3°C 68.97°N PDF Icon view
50m Breaststroke 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 00:48.62 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N 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		 Observer  
1 20 Feb 2016 Andark Lake, Lower... 1000m Crawl Accepted 5.00°C 0.00°C 17:48.00 Rory Fitzgerald view
2 03 Dec 2017 Keepers Pond, Brecon... 1010m Crawl Accepted 2.90°C 4.00°C 18:08.00 Cath Pendleton view
3 06 Dec 2018 Tyumen 500m Crawl Accepted 0.50°C -20.00°C 08:42.00 Rory Fitzgerald view
4 05 Jan 2019 IISA GB Champs 2019,... 1000m Crawl Accepted 5.50°C 4.50°C 17:52.00 Andrea Startin view
5 06 Jan 2019 IISA Gb Champs, Hatfield 500m Crawl Accepted 5.50°C 7.00°C 08:27.00 Andrea Startin view
6 15 Nov 2021 Ushuaia 3000m Crawl Accepted 8.90°C 0.00°C 51:10.00 Rory Fitzgerald view
7 06 Jan 2019 Hatfield Outdoor... IISA GB Championships... 1000m Crawl Accepted 5.50°C 4.50°C 17:52.00 Kate Steels view     
8 29 Dec 2019 Amsterdam, The Amstel Amstel Ice Swim 1000m Crawl Accepted 5.30°C -2.80°C 19:19.84 Fergil Hesterman view     
9 23 Feb 2020 SANDFORD LIDO IISA GB CHAMPIONSHIPS 1000m Crawl Accepted 6.50°C 0.00°C 16:36.32 Kate Steels view     
10 06 Jan 2019 Hatfield Outdoor... IISA GB Championships... 500m Crawl Accepted 5.50°C 4.50°C 08:27.00 Kate Steels view     
11 29 Dec 2019 Amsterdam, The Amstel Amstel Ice Swim 500m Crawl Accepted 5.30°C -2.80°C 09:28.81 Fergil Hesterman view     
12 23 Feb 2020 SANDFORD LIDO IISA GB CHAMPIONSHIPS 500m Crawl Accepted 6.50°C 0.00°C 08:10.00 Kate Steels view     
13 12 Feb 2023 Sandford Lido IISA GB 2023... 250m Crawl Accepted 5.47°C 10.60°C 03:44.25 Kate Steels view     
14 12 Feb 2023 Sandford Lido IISA GB 2023... 100m Crawl Accepted 5.47°C 10.60°C 01:22.03 Kate Steels 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 Mixed Freestyle Relay 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 02:36.99 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°N   view
4 x 50m VIP Relay 15 Jan 2023 5th World Championship... Samoens France 02:18.90 3.70°C 2.0°C 1000m  46.06°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 28 Nov 2016 Serpentine Pond, London
(Swim)		 18:20 1,000 m - 4.4°C [hi]
0°C [lo]		 2°C Matthew Johnston   view

Photos


  • During my Ice Mile

  • Swimming in the River Itchen one icy morning

  • Harbin, China (Air -33C !!!)

  • I km World Championships, Murmansk

  • Russian CWC, Murmansk

  • Gold Medals and Age Group World records

  • Lyme Bay

  • Isle of Wight

  • Swimming in Arctic Norway

IISA Members

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