LGSA Blog of Swimmer Stories

The summer is almost over and you’re probably thinking about your next big swim. In this blog, we talk about 4 questions that can guide you to find your next big swim for next year.

If you have always been a pool swimmer but found yourself curious about how you could start swimming in open water, then this blog is for you.

‘Hey, what makes open water swimming so special?’ You’ve been asked this question before. In fact, many times. But what do you answer?

This year, the Classique and the Escape Léman are hosted on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of July. As the date is drawing closer, and many of you are preparing for your swim and your visit to the region of Lake Geneva, we thought it might be the right time to give you some tips on places to see and where to go when you’re here.

As the Nyvoirienne takes place in a historically rich region, which attracts many tourists each year, we have made a list of things to visit in and around the towns of the event. We start at the place of the start: Nyon.

That the wind can create waves just like the tide is no secret. But we hardly ever talk about how wind affects lakes to create waves. Lake Geneva, takes a special place in this discussion, because is it is the biggest fresh water lake of Europe, and waves can often be observed on the lake.

In this blog, we will look at a few tips and tricks for breathing while swimming in open water, like the technique of breathing bilaterally and how to handle panic while swimming. Want to know how you can breathe easier while swimming in open water? Read on!

Have you ever gone to a lake and been afraid to swim in the open water? Whatever your reasons for being afraid of swimming in open water, there are ways that you can overcome this fear.

For the first few minutes, it still feels a little weird. Like always. But today it feels weirder. You feel that you’re drowning with every breath. You cough up some pink froth and you know decide to turn back as quickly as possible and out of the water. This is called SIPE

It’s only normal that you get some water in your system, but how is Coca-Cola supposed to help prevent stomachs afterwards? Is it just a myth or does it work? Let’s find out.

A common cold is called common for a reason: they are absolutely common. The question is: can you swim with a cold? The answer is yes, you could swim with a cold. However, that doesn’t mean it is a good idea to swim with a cold. Because there are serious risks.

Vedika Bolliger is a Swiss marathon swimmer whose achievements include 5 successful crossings of the English Channel, swimming Lake Zurich both ways, several ironman challenges and multiday races. But even before swimming the English Channel for the first time in 1990, she was already in love with Lake Geneva.

We have listed the best books on open water swimming to read in 2022. They’re chock full of inspiration, detailing the lives and accounts of incredible swimmers. We have hand-picked these books, and they are our recommendations for this year.

Now we are very proud to announce the Nyvoirienne. You swim between the beautiful town of Nyon (CH) and the renowned medieval villages of Nernier and Yvoire (FR). Let’s have a look at what makes the Nyvoirienne so special.

In every swimmer’s life there comes a moment when they consider taking supplements. We will be looking at supplements for swimmers in this blog, talking about benefits, risks and if you should take supplements.

Does water have healing power? Many swimmers seem to agree that swimming in cold water has positive effects on the mind and the body. From reducing anxiety to strengthening the body against common colds. But is this true?

The year 2021 was not what we expected it to be. As the association that organizes open water swimming events in Lake Geneva, you expect to, you know, organize events. But things didn’t go as planned…

Ion Lazarenco found out why he swam. And that made every obstacle he faced a simple question of how to face it. Read on about what you need to succeed in open water swimming

Planning your open water swim events for 2022 is something we would love to help you with. In this blog, we have divided our events for 2022 not on distances but on the type of swimmer you are and the things you want to reach.

Winter is coming. And open water swimming in winter brings its fair share of problems, that you won’t find in other sports. But for some swimmers winter swimming is somewhat overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Starting with open water in swimming is not as straightforward as it looks. Unlike running, it is more complicated than buying shoes, finding a route and off you go. So…how do you get into open water swimming?

Everybody has his own distances and limits. A big swim for one swimmer could be a short round for another. LGSA’s has been organizing the biggest of swims in Lake Geneva, the Signature Swim. But we felt that there were many swimmers who might not have the time to train and swim at least 14km…And that’s where the Escape Lemán comes in.

As you start thinking about your big swim, there is so much to consider. Travel, logistics, feed schedule, finding a team, how long you are going to swim, and much more.

In this blog, we are going to have a look at the aspects that make a body of water dangerous. Do note that we will discuss the bodies of water that you find while driving around your neighbourhood. Because the sea is a whole different beast altogether.

Every time you try to swim a longer distance, there is a moment where your shoulders turn to lead. You can’t go on anymore but you don’t know why. Read on to find out why!

Perseverance. That’s what got Sir John Royden in the water of Lake Geneva on the 28th of July 2021.