Longest polar ice swim (female)
- Quién
- Bárbara Hernández Huerta
- Qué
- 2.5 kilometre(s)
- Dónde
- Antarctica (Chile Bay/Discovery Bay)
- Cuándo
- 05 February 2023
The longest distance ice swim within polar regions by a female swimmer is 2.5 kilometres (1.55 miles) completed by "Ice Mermaid" Bárbara Hernández Huerta (Chile) in Chile Bay, aka Discovery Bay (latitude 62.29° S), off Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands, on 5 February 2023. The swim was supported by the Chilean Navy and ratified by the International Ice Swimming Association.
The average water temperature was 2.23°C (32.4°F) and Huerta was in the sea for 45 minutes 30 seconds. The swim was observed by Jorge Villalobos and witnessed by Melisa Alvarado Castillo. Huerta took on the record to rally support for protection of the Southern Ocean while filming a documentary on Antarctic wildlife.
This bettered the previous record of 2.29 km (1.42 mi) swam by Bhakti Sharma (India) in Paradise Harbour, Antarctica (latitude 64.90° S) on 10 January 2015.
As per IISA rules, polar regions include anywhere north of 70ºN in the northern hemisphere and anywhere below 60ºS in the southern hemisphere.