In 2009, Ram Barkai, a swimmer from Cape Town broke the world record for the longest swim in freezing cold water. Delighted with his acheivement, he had a ‘Mandela moment’ and began promoting a new extreme sport which he called ‘ice swimming’. Within a few short months, the ice mile was born.

(Photo: Ram Barkai diving into Queen Maud Land, Antarctica in 2008. Credit: Patrick Woodhead)