absolute performance for Stève Stievenart

The northern swimmer completed an “extreme altitude ice mile” on Sunday October 6, 2024 in 37 minutes 54 minutes, in water at 3.5° and at an altitude of 2870m in the magnificent Portillo Lake in Chile. He becomes the first Frenchman to complete this challenge and the fourth in the world.

Nicknamed “The Seal” for his annoying tendency to take on challenges in icy water, northern swimmer Stève Stievenart has added a new performance to his record. During an “extreme altitude ice mile” on Sunday October 6, 2024, he swam for almost 38 minutes and without a wetsuit in water at …3.5°! The setting for this new feat, the magnificent Portillo Lake in Chile at an altitude of 2870m. Stève Stievenart becomes the first Frenchman to complete this challenge and the fourth in the world.

When you swim at an altitude of almost 3000m, the lack of oxygen is really formidable, you have to adapt your breathing, your pace, the cold grips you and numbs you

Stève Stievenart, extreme swimmer

The swimmer admits that this performance was not easy to accomplish: “This is without a doubt the most difficult of my ice miles and even one of the hardest swims I have ever done.” declares Steve. “When you swim at an altitude of almost 3000m, the lack of oxygen is really formidable, you have to adapt your breathing, your pace, the cold grips you and numbs you“

“Lhe access to the lake is very complicated, it is done on foot and you have to go back after your ice mile towards your base camp on an icy and rocky path, kept in balance by your team, you struggle not to faint. An incredible experience! I would like to thank my friend Ger Kennedy, a world reference in ice water swimming, for accompanying me in this somewhat crazy project, as well as the experienced Chileans Chris and Lucas for their precious help.”

Portillo Lake, also called “Laguna del Inca”, is located in the Valparaíso region, in Chile. It is located near the border with Argentina.

Steve Stievanart swims for the French DigestScience foundation, created and chaired by Professor P. Desreumaux. The French foundation is entirely dedicated to research into digestive pathologies and nutrition.

The extreme swimmer already has a long track record:

2018 :
– September 26: Channel crossing 81 km, 8:55 p.m.
-October 27: Channel crossing in relay

2019 :
-June 2: Tour of Manhattan New York, (United States) “Twenty Bridges”, 46 km, 7h55
-July 23: Channel crossing, 49 km, 5:11 p.m.
-September 16: Tour of the island of Jersey, 66 km, 11:11 a.m.

2020
-August 11-12: Crossing the Channel round trip 105 km, 34h45. 1st French

2021
-July 12-13: Relay at Lake Baikal (Russia), 8 swimmers covered 72 km in water between 4 and 9 degrees
-August 13-14: Double tour of Manhattan, 93 km, 9:20 p.m.
-August 26: Crossing the Loch Ness lake (Scotland), 37 km, 2:50 p.m.
-September 15: Crossing the North Channel (Northern Ireland – Scotland), 39 km, 2:44 p.m.
-November 11: Record for the latest Channel crossing in history 4:47 p.m.

2022
-February 2: Crossing Santa Catalina – Los Angeles (California, United States), 1:41 p.m.
-June 16: Crossing Los Angeles-Catalina Return in 28h45
-August 22: Crossing Lake Tahoe (California, United States), 35 km, 3:46 p.m.
-September 12: Crossing Lake Memphremagog (United States – Canada), 40 km, 6:22 p.m.

2023
– Three Way Catalina – Los Angeles: world feat in 51 hours 18 minutes and 3 seconds
– Crossing Lake Geneva in 35 hours and 58 minutes

2024
– World Record: relay crossing the Channel on Saturday January 15 in 2:45 p.m. in water varying between 7 and 9 degrees between Dover and Cap Gris Nez. This is the first time that such a swimming crossing has taken place in winter!
– Ice Mile Maroc on January 22: 35 minutes 47
– Historic double: 1km in Antarctica and crossing the Beagle Strait
– Ice Mile in Australia