Julia Wittig is multiple world champion in ice swimming. In an interview, the 42-year-old from Munich talks about how to deal with pain, the difference between cold and freezing – and what is nice about swimming in ice-cold water.
Interview by
Philipp Crone, Munich
Julia Wittig sits at the table in a thermal jacket, her right hand taps the edge of the table with almost every sentence. They are thin, wiry hands that are used to going numb from the cold. The 42-year-old elementary school teacher from Burghausen completes up to eleven units per week before an ice swimming world championship. Born in Munich, she was a competitive swimmer in her youth. She now has several world championship titles as an ice swimmer. Now she has written the book “Ice Swimming”. Why is she doing that? Because in the end there is a priceless reward.