Ice swimming: William Bonnet, quivering with pleasure…

Le Nautic club Nîmois a été bien représenté à Tallin avec William Bonnet et Maïté Verilhac.

Médaillé de bronze aux championnats du Monde à Tallin (Estonie), début mars, le Nîmois nage en plein bonheur. Dans des eaux à… 1° !

He discovered ice swimming in 2016, conditioning himself for this new discipline by taking cold showers and turning off the heating in winter. ', he told us then. Eight years later, William Bonnet, 60 years old in August, broke the ice with his sport. Since a long time. Fresh 3rd (out of 11) over 50 meters breaststroke at ‘’World’’ in Tallinn (Estonia, 1 500 participants, 40 nationalities), early March.

‘’Train hard and the competition will be easy’’ : such is the adage of the resident of the Nautic club in Nîmes. Which he puts into practice every week, dressed in a simple cap and swimsuit: ''Last January, at the end of my working day in Uzès , I went up to Lac du Bonheur, in Camprieu, at 2 p.m. I swam ten minutes and came back down. In total, it's 4 hours round trip for ten minutes in the water…hellip;''

Maïté Verilhac, the other Nîmoise

And in a water ‘’almost’’ too hot, to… ''4, 5°. This year, the water temperature did not fall below that of global warming. So, the 2023 world vice-champion in his category in the 1,000 meter freestyle had to adapt to more icy waters in eastern Europe. Like the other NCN swimmer, Maïté Verilhac, who did not miss her world premiere by throwing herself into the water: '& #39;Maïté wanted to participate in the ‘’World’’, where she placed 3rd twice, in the 25 and 50 meter freestyle. I managed to bring together a small group all year round. Sometimes there are ten of us who go up to Camprieu. There is also Jacques Garvennec who is preparing the challenge of Lac Bleu, in Morillon (74).''

In October 2024, head to South Africa

In the port of Tallinn and water between 0.9 and 1.6 °, Bonnet set out to breaststroke: «  I like to set myself new challenges. In June 2023, I was French N2 champion in the 50m breaststroke. So, for the past six months, I have been training specifically in breaststroke, with my coaches Nicholas Chanal and Julien Rault. »
His next objective is South Africa, in October 2024. « I want to reach Robben Island (prison where Nelson Mandela was) to the coast. We swim for three hours in a swimsuit in water at 12°C. A motor boat and two zodiacs surround us, particularly because of the sharks and orcas. That bothers me a little, but hey…hellip; » We can understand it…

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