Aotearoa New Zealand’s official ice swimming team.
The Frozen Ferns are Aotearoa New Zealand’s official ice swimming team, representing the country in this gruelling extreme sport.
Ice Swimming is swimming in water of temperatures below 5°C/41°F, unassisted, with a silicone cap, pair of goggles and standard swimming costume. Wetsuits and other swim aids are not permitted – swimmers must brave the cold alone.
A record-breaking team
The International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) has established a comprehensive set of safety and swimming rules together with worldwide swim records. Of the 13 Open World Records in each gender, New Zealanders currently hold eight records in the female division and one record in the male division. In the para division, New Zealanders have two female records and five male records.
Frozen Ferns at the World Championships
The World Championships are held in a swimming pool, and ice swimmers compete across all strokes (breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and freestyle) in a range of events and distances up to the challenging 1km.
The winners of the 1km freestyle swim will be crowned World Queen of the Ice and King of the Ice.
2027 Oradea, Romania
A team of thirty competitive ice swimmers has been selected for the 2027 IISA World Championships in Romania. This will be the largest team New Zealand has ever brought to the World Championships.
Among the 2027 team are previous Frozen Ferns, world record holders and age group record holders. The team is gearing up to build on the huge successes of previous teams.
It takes a lot to get a team to the world championships, and we are actively looking for support from sponsors and partners. Please get in touch to find out more, or consider giving to our Give a Little page.
Past Teams
2023 Samoens, France
Aotearoa New Zealand sent seven swimmers to the IISA 5th World Championships in Samoens, French Alps. The NZ team won 10 Gold, 4 Silver, and 2 Bronze, coming in 7th in the country gold medal count, out of more than 50 countries competing. Our swimmer representing Mexico also earned a Bronze medal.
2025 Molveno, Italy
The seventeen-strong 2025 Frozen Ferns team included ice swimming world champions and age group record holders, as well as veteran swimmers who have represented New Zealand on the world stage in other swimming events. They competed at the World Championships in Molveno, Italy, in January 2025, coming fourth overall in the medal count (despite being one of the smallest teams in attendance).
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