In this Constitution, the following expressions bear the meanings assigned to them below and cognate expressions bear corresponding meanings –
The main objectives of the Association shall be -
IISA is registered in South Africa as a Not for Profit Organization (“NPO”).
All income generated from IISA activities shall be directed towards the growth and administration of the Ice Swims.
IISA offers a 3-tier membership structure:
IISA Membership will provide each member with a unique login to the IISA website.
The International Ice Swimming Association (“IISA”) was founded as a non-profit association on 1-July-2009 in Cape Town, South Africa by Ram Barkai (founder), Andrew Chin, Ryan Stramrood, Toks Viviers and Kieron Palframan (founding members).
IISA provides guidelines and membership for Ice Swimming, which is defined as the completion of an unassisted one mile (1.609km) swim in water temperature of 5°C (41°F) or lower (see constitution and rules) and, more recently, recognises the 1km distance under organised event rules as an Ice Mile qualifier.
Currently IISA has 90 members from 15 countries (see appendix A).
IISA’s objectives, as detailed in its Constitution are:
See IISA Membership
Although now well established in its own right, IISA is a young but growing organization, which continues, via learnings from local and international swimming events, to grow its knowledge base on issues relating to safety and swimmers’ health. It is our experience that spending prolonged amounts of time in waters of 5°C or less will expose a person to significant risks. IISA has therefore decided to keep the official Ice Mile swims as an individual challenge and ultimate personal achievement.
On July 2014, IISA introduced a new swim distance of 1km, taking place under IISA rules, to be a recognised distance by IISA. A swimmer’s completion of this distance does not provide for full ‘Ice Membership’ but rather ‘Cold Membership’ as defined above. It is also not recognised as an individual swim or achievement, but as a race event distance. The new shorter distance of 1km provides a platform whereby Ice Mile aspirants can work towards the ultimate Ice Mile challenge and full ‘Ice Membership’. The 1km distance has been introduced primarily to limit a swimmer’s exposure to extreme cold temperatures to an average of 20 minutes, thereby protecting the safety of swimmers at IISA events.
This document merely outlines the rules, regulations and safety procedures for IISA 1km events, and therefore event organisers, race directors and competitors are strongly advised to use these rules as a base from which to start. The required safety measures should further be enhanced according to the event location, participants and the prevailing conditions at the time of the event. Some of the technical terms utilized in this document may have varying meanings and implications for different countries or local governments. The Rule of Thumb to be adopted is: when in doubt, assume that safety requires more rather than less.
The IISA’s vision is to increase the uptake of Ice Swimming experiences through exposure to 1km events. Further, it is envisioned that an internationally unified manifesto of competition and safety, rules and procedures be created. And lastly that winter/extreme cold water swimming be promoted and included, in whatever form, as a Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games sport for the 2022 Winter Games.
In order for a swimmer to qualify for a race, he/she must prove the following:
The Event Committee will assess each Swimmer’s records and will qualify them one at a time.
IISA Event will recognise the following records in each Event:
Any affiliation (not Association) of the Event with other sports entities requires IISA approval
Relevant fees are at the discretion of the Event Manager.
1) An Ice Mile Event is an organised Ice Mile attempt, which allows several swimmers to attempt a mile swim. The Event is purposed to capitalise on the economy of scale of safety, medical, rescue and recovery facilities.
2) An Ice Mile attempt must not be a race, and is instead a grouping of individual attempts.
3) Ice Mile attempt is an extreme and dangerous undertaking. Swimmers must prepare, train and employ rigorous safety and risk management procedures.
4) Each Ice Attempt will have a designated Attempt Director. The director will act as Safety Officer and will bear the overall responsibility to all procedures and safety measures in the Attempt.
5) The Event Director must be an IISA Ice Member.
6) The Event Director will provide IISA with all required attempt details as per Application for Ice Membership.
7) The Director will qualify the swimmers attempting the swim.
a) A minimum requirement by the swimmer is a signed affidavit declaring that he/she has successfully completed at least 600m unassisted and uninterrupted swim in water of 5C or less according to IISA rules; or
b) A minimum of 1km in water temperatures at 6C or under.
c) The Director has the sole discretion to allow or disallow a swimmer to participate in the Event even if they have completed the above.
8) The Director must be a qualified IISA Member. The Director will also act as the IISA Observer in the Attempt. If the Director is one of the Swimmers, he/she must have a qualified second to observe the swim while he/she is swimming.
9) All swimmers must adhere to IISA ICE SWIM rules
10)The Director, will prepare a site plan, medical recovery and safety plan.
11)An Attempt requires at least one qualified Medical Doctor on site with at least two qualified nurses to assist him.
12)The Doctor and two nurses will be committed and able to serve at four swimmers at one time. No other swimmers will be allowed to start their Attempt until the Doctor assures the Director that he/she has enough capacity to deal with more recovering swimmers or potential emergencies.
13)In the event of emergency, the Director will consult with the Doctor and will make an executive decision as to whether to stop the Attempt immediately or allow it to proceed. If the emergency takes the Doctor away from the location or takes 100% of his capacity for more than 5 minutes the Director will terminate the Event immediately.
14) The Director must have a contingency plan in place in case the Doctor is requested to deal with an emergency and has no further capacity to deal with other swimmers.
15)The Director will brief the swimmer as to the risks involved in the Attempt, including a medical brief by the Doctor.
16)Each Swimmer will have a dedicated recovery location / spot where he/she leaves warm clothing for post recovery. The Swimmer will be pointed to his/her exact recovery spot (bed, Chair, etc…)
17)When a swimmer exits the water, he/she will be ushered to their recovery location for recovery.
18)The Doctor will use the recovery location as the Attempt Medical centre.
19)The Recovery location must be pre heated with warm blankets and hot drinks.
20)Each Swimmer Attempting an Ice Mile must have a Second. The Second will accompany the Swimmer to the Recovery location prior to the swim, assist him/her with preparing for the swim and getting to the start.
21)The Second will oversee the Swimmer’s Attempt personally and has the right to notify the Swim Safety Officer that his/her Swimmer must be pulled out.
22)The Second must be at the Swimmer’s exit from the water and accompany the Swimmer to the Recovery location until he/she is declared as fully recovered by the Doctor.
23)The Doctor will supervise the overall Swimmers recovery and will be the only one to qualify each Swimmer as fully recovered. The Doctor will decide to admit a recovering Swimmer to the ambulance or other care if required or discharge him/her from the recovery location.
24)The Second will accompany the Swimmer for at least 20 minutes following discharge from the Recovery location by the Doctor.
25)Each Swimmer is performing an individual Attempt. The Attempt is not a race and it is at the Director’s discretion to terminate a Swimmer’s swim if he/she believes the Swimmer may be in danger. The Director will use his/her experience when assessing the Swimmer’s stroke rate, body language, behaviour in the water, frequent change of stroke, frequent stopping and any other signs that may indicate that the swimmer is in danger.
IISA may charge fees for swim application, certificates, badges and other services provided. IISA fess may change from time to time. IISA reserves the right to charge relevant fees if it see necessary to cover its costs. IISA is a non-profit association and its aim is to charge no fees or as little as required to run the association.
The Managers shall, in addition to such other powers as may be conferred upon them by the applicable law or elsewhere in this Constitution (whether express or implied), have the following powers, namely -
The Board shall in the conducting of the affairs of the Association act in a business-like manner in accordance with the fiduciary obligations required of a director of an incorporated company, and shall ensure that –
A Manager shall vacate his office upon the Manager -
The name of the Association may only be amended by unanimous resolution of all of the Managers in office from time to time.
The Association is founded, and the Constitution approved by the Founder and Initial Members at the inaugural meeting of Members.
Download the full International Ice Swimming Association's constitution in pdf form.