Most southerly ice swim (female)

The most southerly ice swim by a female was at a latitude of 68.19°S, achieved by Sam Whelpton (South Africa) off Stonington Island, near the Antarctic Peninsula, on 4 March 2026 as ratified by the International Ice Swimming Association.

An Ice Swim is defined according to the standards of the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA). These regulations include that the swim should be unassisted and that only a swimming costume, goggles and cap be worn. For the purposes of this record, the swim must cover a minimum distance of 1 km (0.6 mi).

The water temperature was 1.9°C (35.4°F) and the swim duration was 15 minutes 46 seconds. This was Whelpton's fourth long-distance swim in Antarctic waters to date, also representing the most 1-km polar ice swims by a woman.

The previous most southerly ice swim by a woman took place at 66.6°S, completed by Catherine Pendleton (UK) in Hanusse Bay, off Graham Land, Antarctica, on 22 February 2020.

The most southerly 1-km ice swim by a male was at a latitude of 70.76°S and was achieved by Ram Barkai (South Africa) in Long Lake, near Maitri research station in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, on 7 February 2008. Swims have been conducted at even more southerly locations in Antarctica: Lewis Pugh (UK) swam at 71°S in the Ross Sea on 19 February 2015 and at 78.55°S in the Bay of Whales on 25 February 2015, however both of these were shorter than the 1-km standard for a long-distance swim (540 m and 330 m, respectively).