Swimmers launch themselves at the start of a race on Sunday, June 9 at the annual Freeze or Fry swim meet in downtown Red Deer. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

splish splash

Swimmers take to outdoor pool for annual Freeze or Fry meet

Jun 9, 2019 | 11:04 AM

It wasn’t too hot or too cold on Sunday for the final day of the 2019 Freeze or Fry swim meet hosted by Red Deer’s Catalina Swim Club.

In fact, it was just right with the water sitting at 25 degrees Celsius.

Close to 300 swimmers took part from across the province, including around 60 with Catalina.

New head coach Lucien Zucchi, who is from Toulouse, France, said this is the biggest event of the year for the team.

Online For Early 2025

Ermineskin Nation and TIU Join Forces to build Gleichen Solar Project

35m ago

Sept. 30

RDCRS recognize Orange Shirt Day/National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

51m ago

National Day For Truth And Reconciliatio

Cadmus Delorme, former Chief of Cowessess First Nation, visits Chinook's Edge

1h ago

“I’ve been here since September, and I’ve heard a couple times that in the last ten years, they’ve had snow, and last year, it was really warm and they got sunburns, so it’s an experience for them,” he said. “It’s the last meet of the season for the younger swimmers, so it’s a lesson in enjoying swimming in different conditions.”

Zucchi also wants Red Deerians to know that the swim club is very welcoming to newcomers of the sport.

“It’s a full body sport. It can teach you good work ethics. The younger swimmers train three times a week, the older swimmers train eight or nine times a week or 20 hours,” he explained.

“Next season, seven swimmers will graduate, and six will go to university with scholarships, two with full scholarships for four or five years. We start at five to seven-years-old, so they learn how to swim, we teach good technique, and it’s a family culture. We really take care of each other.”

Catalina holds its rookie camp in September and is open to kids five to seven years of age. Older kids can also try out for the team.

“We do community work, but a lot of people don’t know we exist,” added Zucchi. “The team has been around since 1952. We are in the city and we really want to help everybody. You need to know how to swim and it’s open to everybody.”

More on the annual Freeze or Fry meet, as well as the Catalina Swim Club is on their website.