By Alexia Franco Hibner, Year 12
Every year, Switzerland proudly hosts the biggest swimming competition in cold water in the world: La Coupe de Noël in Geneva. This event takes place the weekend before Christmas. Participants are challenged with a 120-meter swim around the Lac Leman in water conditions below 10℃. This event is taken very seriously, with preparation beginning several months prior to it.
Although it may be perceived as a competition, most participants simply view it as a cherishable and memorable moment with their family and friends. Swimmers are even encouraged to dress up in groups.
Last year’s event, the 82nd edition, took place on December 18th, 2021. With over 3200 participants, the event was split up into two days in order to allow a chance for everyone to be included. Participants faced temperatures as low as 7℃ in water.
Four of LGB’s dedicated Year 12 students decided to participate in this event: Soraya Vahabzadeh, Jemma Grace Cerf, Eva Boulot, and Victoire Bédat. Several months prior to the event, they began raising funds in order to grant children in Kodaikanal, India a better education. This was done in collaboration with A Brighter Tomorrow (a non-profit organization created by Martina Ravano in Year 13) which has been working very closely with individuals in India in order to support crèches.
In order to understand more about this event, the participants of the Coupe de Noël and Martina Ravano were interviewed.
Questions for the team who participated:
What motivated you to take on this challenge?
We wanted to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. This challenge was a great opportunity to collaborate with friends during training as well as the day of the race. La Coupe de Noël is part of Geneva’s traditional race which has taken place every year in December since 1934. We wanted to take part in this tradition. We were also very motivated because we were raising funds for A Brighter Tomorrow.
How was your experience participating in the Coupe de Noël for the first time?
It was an amazing experience for all of us! As it was our first time participating in the Coupe de Noël, we did not have many expectations. The experience was different for each one of us. In general, we were all very proud of ourselves for having done it.
Was there prior preparation for this special event?
There was A LOT of preparation. Training weekly in the lake was a key aspect in order to reach our objective and it was also definitely the most difficult part. Whether it was raining or even snowing we stayed consistent. I think that training as a group was really what kept us going.
How did working with “A Brighter Tomorrow” inspire you to work even harder?
When training in the lake was hard for us, we kept reminding ourselves that we were doing this challenge for a good cause. Working with A Brighter Tomorrow motivated us to keep a certain discipline, to persevere, and to work even harder.
How did you feel when you finished swimming the 120 meters?
The adrenaline rush was unreal!
Did you underestimate the difficulty of this event?
We never underestimated the difficulty of the challenge. This is why every week we disciplined ourselves to embrace the cold water in order to habituate our bodies to these extreme conditions.
Would you recommend this challenge to other students?
YES! It was an incredible experience to do it with others. It united us because we knew that we were all in this together. Putting your body in extreme condition enhances not only your physical abilities but also your mental abilities. The only thoughts that passed our minds were the cold and the fact that we were going to manage to achieve this challenge. During training, the hardest parts were the hands, feet, and the first minute in the water. Right after entering the water, we felt spikes throughout my body until a moment came where we felt nothing anymore. We always kept our heads high, and with an inspiring goal at the end, we managed to finish the race. We proved to ourselves that we were capable of doing extreme things.
Questions for Martina Ravano, founder of A Brighter Tomorrow:
Could you briefly explain how the idea of you collaborating with this group formed?
Back in September, as part of my NGO A Brighter Tomorrow work, I reached out to a group of students who I knew had previously been involved in the India Project to inspire them to continue their involvement and help them find CAS opportunities. Victoire quickly answered that she wanted to continue her work with India and so after she told me she was preparing for the Coupe de Noël with her friends, we discussed how we could use their efforts for this great cause. Since then, we have continued our discussions and this is how this collaboration was born.
What do you intend to do with the funds that were raised?
The money fundraised will mostly go towards supporting the three crèches in Kodaikanal that have been historically supported by the India Project. This is fundamental in ensuring that children from the most disadvantaged families are able to get appropriate nutrition, healthcare, and supervision while the parents are at work. On top of this, some of the funds will also be used to support another initiative that A Brighter Tomorrow has launched, to create scholarships for the crèche children, ensuring their continued education. By extending support for the education of children throughout primary, middle, secondary, and tertiary education, we hope to be able to see children who become doctors, nurses, engineers and help break the cycle of poverty in their communities.
If you want to know more about A Brighter Tomorrow, check out the article “A Brighter Tomorrow – Interview with Martina Ravano”
