Part 5/11:
Since practicing in open water at night and in cold conditions is difficult in regular swimming pools, the team devised alternative training strategies. These included night swims in specially prepared pools and cold-water immersion exercises, such as ice baths at four degrees Celsius. These cold exposure sessions aimed to build mental resilience, as swimmers anticipate water temperatures around 16 degrees Celsius during their Channel attempt.
Training also involved simulations of the conditions they will face, like swimming in darkness with headlamps—necessary for night swims—and managing the psychological challenges of navigating in total darkness and unknown waters.