Ice, Kisses, and Guinness World Records: Valentine’s Weekend Freediving in Northern Europe
Valentine's weekend 2026 gave freedivers in Northern Europe two very different reasons to celebrate—one in a frozen Swedish lake, and one in a warm Polish pool.
A freediving athlete competes in frigid waters during the 3rd AIDA Frozen Frog Static Challenge. Photo ©Andrijana Kalic
Valentine's weekend 2026 proved that freediving knows no season and no temperature limit. Whilst Polish freedivers chased records in the warm waters of Wrocław, Swedish competitors stripped down to their swimsuits and slipped into a frozen lake. Two competitions, two very different conditions, and one unforgettable weekend for the sport.
3rd AIDA Frozen Frog Static Challenge
An athlete holds her breath in 1–2°C (34–36°F) water in Arriesjön Lake during the 3rd AIDA Frozen Frog Static Challenge. Photo ©Andrijana Kalic
On February 15th, the frozen Arriesjön Lake in Sweden hosted people playing ice hockey, ice skating, and a large group of freedivers gathered around a hole in the ice. But instead of donning thick wetsuits, gloves, and socks, these athletes stripped down to their swimsuits before slipping into the frozen water. The 3rd edition of the AIDA Frozen Frog Static Challenge was underway.
An athlete escapes the cold in a PAUS sauna at the 3rd AIDA Frozen Frog Static Challenge. Photo ©Andrijana Kalic
Spectators watched with curiosity as 11 competitors from Sweden, Denmark, Poland, and Croatia held their breath for as long as possible in 1–2°C (34–36°F) water. Luckily for the athletes, Swedish company PAUS provided sauna tents so competitors could warm up before and after their frozen breath-holds.
Performances ranged from 22 seconds to an incredible 8'04", with the top result belonging to Swedish athlete David Spreitz Elings—a pending Guinness World Record that nearly triples Polish athlete Stanisław Odbiezałek's current record of 3'11", set on November 29, 2025. See the full list of results on the AIDA event page.
A freediving athlete gets coached through a breath-hold in freezing water temperatures. Photo © Andrijana Kalic
“This is my crazy idea which developed while doing sea ice dips during the Swedish winter,” competition organizer Donat Faraguna Gnjatovic told Molchanovs. “With Tobias from @bastupaus saunas, this idea became possible and the community around it just grew and grew. The main idea was to try something crazy and different, a static breath-hold in icy waters, but without wetsuits and without knowing the time while holding your breath. A competition where the main focus is on the good atmosphere, so nobody actually knows the time they did until the final ceremony.”
Molchanovs provided competition participants with a 25% discount for a week, while two athletes won 150USD vouchers for Molchanovs equipment.
Suunto Freedive Games 2026
Valentine's Day was an extra special occasion for freedivers in Wrocław, Poland, where the Suunto Freedive Games 2026 drew 50 athletes from 13 countries to the Orbita Swimming Pool.
The second edition brought together world champions, world record holders, and World Games medalists, promising breathtaking performances across two days of competition. Pool conditions were ideal: athletes floated at the surface of 33°C (91°F) water for STA performances and raced each other in DYN, DYNB, and DNF along 50m lanes with 27°C (81°F) water
Freedivers compete to see who can share the longest underwater kiss at the Suunto Freediving Games 2026. Photo ©Daan Verhoeven
As an added Valentine's Day bonus, all registered participants were invited to compete in the longest underwater kiss competition—because nothing says romance like a breath-hold.
The STA battle was fierce. Current world record holder Heike Schwerdtner (DEU) dominated the women's category with an 8'46" breath-hold, while Eric Van Riet Paap (NED) outshone the rest of the men with a time of 7'38".
Poland's Bartosz Jakubowiak swims 232.5m (763ft) in a monofin at the Suunto Freediving Games 2026. Photo ©Daan Verhoeven
Meanwhile in DYN, Poland's Julia Kozerska covered 209m (686ft) while her teammate Bartosz Jakubowiak reached 232.5m (763ft). Both used monofins to swim the farthest distance possible on a single breath.
Something rare unfolded in DYNB: the top female and male athletes finished with identical distances. Current world record holder Magdalena Solich-Talanda (POL) and teammate Damian Watracz (POL) both reached 250m (820ft) on one breath.
In DNF, where athletes rely solely on the power of their arms and legs, Julia Kozerska claimed another win with 188m (617ft), while 2025 World Championship bronze medalist Piotr Kubiak (POL) led the men with 179m (587ft).
Quiet preparation before a dive at the Suunto Freediving Games 2026 in Poland. Photo ©Daan Verhoeven
To support the Suunto Freedive Games 2026's mission, Molchanovs provided two 200USD vouchers for winners of the Newcomer category (first-time competitors) and two 250USD vouchers for winners of the Rising category (athletes whose personal best falls below a set threshold).
From a frozen lake in Sweden to a heated pool in Poland, Valentine's weekend 2026 was one for the books. Records were broken, distances were tied, and somewhere in Wrocław, two freedivers shared the longest underwater kiss of their lives.
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